World Bank Probe “Damaged” Albania RelationsTirana

27 February 2009
The village of Jale Albania’s Minister of Finance accused the World Bank on Friday of damaging their excellent relations with a probe by an independent investigative panel on a coastal management project that has embarrassed the conservative government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

“We regret to note that Bank’s internal issues are being transposed as problems of the Bank with the Albanian government,” Minister of Finance Ridvan Bode told a press conference. “This is not in the interest of the Government and would be damaging at this stage of our excellent cooperation and joint efforts,” Bode added.

The World Bank chief of mission in Albania, Camille Nuamah, on Wednesday presented the bank’s report on the controversial demolition of a village in southern Albania, which blames the government in Tirana as well as the project coordinator, Berisha's the son-in-law .

more see: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/17060/

Note to the readers: There are many articles about the scandal of World Bank and Albanian Government by Albanian journalists, but never they not refereed exactly the position of the village of Jali. The village of Jali is part of Himara Municipality, exactly 3 miles in north of Himara`s Harbor. The ihnabitatnes most part are with old greek origin.

Guilty as charged

Feb 26th 2009

A flawed project in Albania has highlighted some broader concerns
ReutersA large, embarrassing footprint on Albania's sands
WHEN Robert Zoellick took over the World Bank in 2007—after months of bitter wrangling over professional favours done by its former president, Paul Wolfowitz, for his girlfriend—many people hoped that happier times lay head for the institution.

So it was a shock to hear Mr Zoellick describe as “appalling” the bank’s behaviour over a bungled project to develop the coast of Albania. He was responding to the findings of a bank-appointed panel which found a clear link between the wrongful demolition of 16 homes in the coastal town of Jale and the project, to which the bank had pledged $17.5m. ....

Go directly to Jale
Indeed, the demolitions were carried out by the Albanian construction police, not the bank. But the panel found that the aerial photographs which identified the targets for demolition were provided by staff in the project co-ordination unit, and that they used World Bank funds to get them taken. These photographs were then sent to the construction police, along with a letter from the project co-ordinator asking for action to be taken “as fast as possible”.

The construction police responded to the project co-ordinator’s request with alacrity, arriving in the hamlet of Jale to demolish the “illegal” houses in the early hours of the morning. This eagerness to please was probably not entirely out of respect for the World Bank: the project co-ordinator was the son-in-law of Albania’s prime minister, Sali Berisha, who has recently turned his ire on the bank.

more see: http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13185165

The Economist

Time for a change?

Feb 26th 2009

The forthcoming election looks like being a close contest
THE general election is four months off, but it feels closer. Every day Albania’s politicians are on the stump, addressing packed town halls and assembling campaign teams. Edi Rama, the colourful leader of the opposition Socialists, is underlining phrases in a book of Barack Obama’s speeches.

For change will be Mr Rama’s mantra as he challenges Sali Berisha, prime minister and leader of the Democratic Party. Mr Berisha has been at the heart of Albanian politics since the collapse of communism in 1991. Those born that year will be voting for the first time. They have no memory of communism, but also none of a time before Mr Berisha. Mr Rama thinks this is to his advantage.

Yet Mr Rama is not quite a new figure on the political landscape. The 44-year-old has been mayor of Tirana since 2000. He has transformed the city. Illegal buildings that scarred its centre have been bulldozed, grey blocks painted in colourful designs and plans are afoot to transform Skanderbeg Square into a pedestrian zone. Tirana is no longer the chaotic, declining city of the 1990s.

more see: http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13184997

These documents are presented from Albanian Journalist by "KLAN TV" television station in Tirana.

QUESTION TO THE GREEK PARLIAMENT.....

According to a publication of the newspaper "Elefteros Tipos"(10/2/09), the document contained an internal report of the Hellenic Research Center ELIAMEP, adopted by the rating «top secret» and was drafted in 2001 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the Northern Epirus issue, presented on 5/2/09 by Albanian National television "KLAN TV" during te emission "Opinion"

Specifically, the journalist Mentor Nazarko, , said that holding the disputed document contains analysis of the top secret information to the foreign ministry of Greece to protect the Greek minority in relation to the Northern Epirus issue, and generally relations between the two states.

SMANALYSIS which the newspaper "Elefteros Tipos" refereed, has inquiring about the scandal of foreign Greek policies noted on: February 6, 2009..more see:

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.

http://smarkos.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

Albania criticizes Inspection Panel report

The Government of Albania has requested a revision or retraction of an Inspection Panel Report implicating the country's government in corruption.In response to the report produced by the Inspection Panel of the World Bank, the Government of Albania has issued a response (PDF, 163KB) which claims that implications of corruption on the part of the Government of Albania in the Jale case are unsubstantiated and that the scope and nature of the Government’s involvement has been exaggerated by the Inspection Panel Report.

The Albanian Government has urged the management of the World Bank to reconsider the Panel Report and has requested its quashing or rewriting “to be more objective” towards the Government’s position. Albania has also asked for an official inquiry on the part of the Bank into the reasons for the Inspection Panel’s involvement with the Jale incident.


Resources
World Bank Board of Executive Directors Reviews Independent Inspection Panel Report on Coastal Zone Management Project in Albania, World Bank press release, February 17, 2009 (World Bank website)
Original text of the Albanian Government response (in Albanian), February 14, 2009 (Gazeta Standard website).
Inspection Panel, (World Bank website)
World Bank violated policies and misinformed Board in Albania project, February 18, 2009 (BIC website)
Albanian Government response to Inspection Panel report (PDF, 163KB)

Albanian Security News

ITALIAN SOLDERS LEFT SASAN ISLAND

Photo: Vlora`s Gulf

The Italian military mission in Albania DIA ordains to leave from Sasani Island the Italian naval forces. Making a ceremony in Sasani Island, 10 miles a front of Vlora city, the experts of Italian military forces in Albania known as DIA, reported the accomplished mission in Vlora Gulf.

The mission was installed after the "ALBA" operation in1997 during the "Civil War in Albania". The 28 district naval forces, Guardia Finanzza" and Italian Coast Guard mission united forces, where installed in Sasani island, to fight the clandestine traffics between Italian and Albania on Otranto corridor in Adriatic Sea.

Photo: The "Alba" operation of italian forces in Vlora 1997

Reports by Vlora insists other news about the Turkish naval forces to prepare to leave also the Vlora Gulf. The Turkish naval forces where installed in Orikus Naval Base, since 1998 to help the Albanian forces to construct the Albanian base after destrutcion of Albanian army in 1997.

THE FIANTIAL TIMES

Families oppose €40m scheme for Albanian resort
By Kerin Hope

Arben Leka carefully unfolds a document brown with age and runs a finger down a handwritten list of landholdings that was drawn up in 1937.

The Lekas are one of 129 families fighting the construction of Albania’s first five-star tourist resort.The Tirana-based Riviera group wants to build an 800-bed resort at Kakome bay, an arc of white pebbles backed by olive trees, a swath of evergreen forest and the 13th-century convent of St Maria.

The company has fenced off the bay and blocked access to the convent.
“We all have title deeds, we’re defending our ownership in the courts, yet bulldozers have moved in and we’ve lost access to our property,” says Mr Leka, a civil engineer.

Dritan Celaj, Riviera’s chairman, says Kakome is public land. His company was granted a 99-year lease in 2004 to develop the bay but the €40m ($51m, £35m) project was put on hold after protests by residents and a change of government.

Vladimir Kumi, mayor of Nivice village, 6km from Kakome, where most of the protesters live, says most families have three titles to their land. One dates from the 1870s when Albania was part of the Ottoman Empire, another was issued by the land registry set up by King Zog in the 1930s and a third covers the 1994 restitution of land collectivised under Communism.

Land-ownership disputes are rife along Albania’s mountainous southern coast, mainly because of its potential for development as one of the last unspoilt stretches of the Mediterranean. The restitution of land to pre-communist owners remains a thorny issue, with many claims still outstanding. A new land registry set up with the assistance of foreign experts has a long backlog of title deed applications.

Albania’s judicial system has been criticised by the European Commission as weak and open to influence, adding to the difficulties of settling a property dispute through the courts.
The protesters, who refer to themselves as “Club 129,” say they have no objection to the development of “soft” tourism at Kakome – small independent guesthouses or hotels – provided their ownership claims are recognised and they have a stake in the project.

The right-of-centre government of Sali Berisha, the prime minister, opposed the project while in opposition. Now it backs Mr Celaj,.

more see: http://www.ft.com/home/europe

FIRST STEP OF UNIFICATION OF "GREATER ALBANIA"

Albania to open its port to Kosovo

Albania is ready to open its northern port of Shengjin on the Adriatic Sea for the use of the landlocked Kosovo, Albania's Prime Minister Sali Berisha said on Monday. "Albania is ready to provide Kosovo with a port, which would meet its needs," a press release on the government's website quoted Berisha as saying.

Berisha made the announcement in his meeting with a group of representatives from Kosovo, who are in Albania to open talks on using the Shengjin port. The two sides agreed to study the possibility of enlarging the port which is about 90 kilometers north of capital Tirana and about 100 kilometers west of Kosovo.

Kovoso, an ethnic Albanian-dominated province of Serbia, unilaterally declared independence in February in 2008. Its independence has been vehemently opposed by Serbia. Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci sent a letter to Berisha earlier this month, asking him to allow Kosovo to use the seaport.

Albania is currently building a highway to link the central Albanian port of Durres with Kukes and beyond to Pristina, the capital city of Kosovo.

ALFRED MOISIU: IF ALBANIA DOES NOT HOLD FREE ELECTIONS, THE COUNTRY RISCK TO COME BACK TO THE 1997

Former Albanian President Alfred Moisiu calls politic parties to hold free elections on the next politic elections in 22 June 2009. The declaration was made during exclusively interviewe on "News 24 TV".

Regarding the standards of Albanian next elections, Moisiu stated about the necessary to hold free elections that never Albania historically has held, but noted Moisiu, is Albania does not hold free elections, the country risk to come back to the 1997, on the civil war.

Speaking for the "Gerdeci Blust" and the inquiring process, he said as principal responsible are the member of the government and not the officers of Albanian army.

Croatian fury as Slovenian referendum petition launched

20 February 2009 12:25 Source: B92
LJUBLJANA -- A petition has begun to circulate in Slovenia calling for a referendum on Croatian and Albania accession to NATO, that has Croatian politicians up in arms.

There is a deadline of 35 days to collect the 40,000 signatures needed for calling a referendum on Croatian NATO membership. Slovenian Parliamentary Speaker Pavel Gantar was forced to set the deadline after talks between Prime Minister Borut Pahor and the referendum initiators failed to fully resolve the matter.

Though the June 25 Institute has pulled out of the initiative, Pahor was unable to persuade the non-parliamentary Slovenian People’s Party (SSN) to do likewise.

more see: http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php

The greek weekly "TO PARON"

The bulldozers expelled the Greeks in Nivitsa

What the Greek government must know more about Jala and Nivitsa in Himara Region? ...

Do they know for the "son in law" of Sali Berisha called Jamarber Maltesi and is representative of the World Bank in Albania!

Do the greek parliament members know about the bulldozers-there, to build a tourist resort to cleansing of the Greek ethnic people?.

more in greek newspaper: http://www.paron.gr/v3/new.php?id=37971&colid=&catid=40&dt=2009-02-15%200:0:0

Greek PM meets with Senator Durbin, Giannoulias

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis receives US Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), second from left, on Wed. 18 February 2009 at the Maximos Mansion.

Durbin, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the US Senate, was accompanied on his trip by Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (third from left), a Greek-American, rumored to be running for US Senator in 2010

World Bank and The Albanian Goverment destroit a Greek village in Himara, northern Epirus

STATE DEPARTAMENT

Gordon Duguid

Acting Deputy Department SpokesmanDaily Press Briefing
February 18, 2009

.......

Yes, Mr. Lambros.

QUESTION: On Albania, the World Bank acknowledged yesterday serious errors by the Albanian Government against a Greek village in northern Epirus and presented an action plan for addressing this issue to a panel. I am wondering what is the U.S. position, since the European Union is involved, too.

MR. DUGUID: I would refer you to the World Bank for their action, and I believe that the – this matter is before the courts in Albania, so that would be – those would be the proper places to go for an opinion on this. It’s a court matter. The World Bank, I understand from press reports, has launched its own investigation. They would have many more details than I would be able to give you.

QUESTION: One more question. Any response by Mark Toner to my pending question of last week on the Sali Berisha supreme court in Albania regarding the sentence of five Greeks in Himara of northern Epirus for political reasons 25 years in prison who simply raised a Greek flag?

MR. DUGUID: I believe that the matter is a court matter for the Albanians, and they do have an independent judiciary that has worked through this.

QUESTION: Thank you.

see more: http://www.state.gov/video/?videoid=13463880001

Berisha attacks panel inspection of World Bank

There are links with "mafia" to robber the Albanian Coast Line. The albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, speaking for the project of World Bank for destruction of Jali has sharply attacked the inspection panel of the World Bank stating that it is linked to the mafia.

Berisha said that the World Bank will require investigation for this panel. Berisha stressed that the project is implemented with complete transparency from our government, and everything else is a problem of the World Bank.

Anyway, speaking to the Voice of America, Albanian section, the World Bank Project Coordinator Jamarber Maltezi (Son in law of PM Sali Berisha) he replaces the accuses against hem, saying that: the government and police authorities have been decided in accordance with the laws, to operate against abusive buildings and constructions without permission while speculation has named as his charges falls by the other interest group including the politic opposite.

see more: http://www.balkanweb.com/sitev4/lajme.php?id=33882

World Bank Board of Executive Directors Reviews Independent Inspection Panel Report on Coastal Zone Management Project in Albania

"The Chair of the Inspection Panel, Werner Kiene, stated, “While the Bank’s non-compliance with its policies in the present case is extremely troubling, the Panel applauds the leadership of the President and Senior Management in acknowledging errors and in initiating corrective measures once the Panel issued its Report.”

WASHINGTON, February 17, 2009—The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today considered a Management Report and Action Plan that responds to an independent Inspection Panel investigation of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Clean-Up Project in Albania, which was requested by families harmed by the April 2007 demolition of buildings in the Albanian coastal village of Jale. The Management Report acknowledges serious errors in project preparation and supervision, along with errors in communication with the Board of the World Bank, and presents an Action Plan for addressing those issues identified by the Panel.

Under the Action Plan, a series of measures will be undertaken with support by the Bank, including: a case-by-case legal review of the April 2007 demolitions in the project area, the appointment of an Independent Observer to monitor the legal review and report back to the Bank, and the payment of legal aid for the review of each of the Requesters’ claims. Bank Management will also supervise completion of a social and vulnerability assessment, and the retroactive application of the resulting assistance packages for the poor and/or vulnerable affected by the demolitions. Management will report back to the Board in three months on progress.
MORE SEE: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/ALBANIAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:22072678~menuPK:301417~pagePK:2865066~piPK:2865079~theSitePK:301412,00.html

Albania, Croatia's NATO Accession Ratified by Greece

Greece became the last NATO member state to ratify Albania and Croatia's accession protocols with the Alliance. The Greek parliament where waiting under strong debate to complete the ratification procedures for the two Balkan nations to join NATO in April.

Albania and Croatia moved a step closer towards full-fledged NATO membership on Thursday(February 17-Th) after the Greek parliament ratified the two countries' accession protocols with the Alliance.

The process where voted by tow important parties DP and PASOK, while LAOS, KKE and SIRIZA voted against.

STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING

WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17,

Acting Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid

......Question: Lambros Papantoniou

One more question. Albania is supporting the so-calledindependence of Kosovo on the basis of geography, not ethnicity. Seein gthat Kosovars are Albanians, why does your government support the creation of a second Albania in the Balkan Peninsula with different name, instead of asking a union? May we assume that Secretary Clintonis going to change this policy?

MR. DUGUID: Mr. Lambros, I disagree with the premise of thequestion, and therefore I will not answer that at this particulartime.

I don't think it's factually accurate.

Mr. Lambros Papantoniou.

Question: Yes, on Kosovo, two questions. Mr. Duguid, since you created Kosovo, why does the U.S.government oppose the same right for the Greeks in Northern Epirus, which after all has its own autonomy recognized by the League of Nations as precondition for admission of Albania into its ranks became a state. May we assume that Secretary Clinton is going to help the Greeks of Northern Epirus?

MR. DUGUID: Mr. Lambros, again, I don't agree with the premise of the question. Therefore I'm not prepared to answer it.

Question: I have another one. Today at the World Bank, there is a special meeting about the false information provided, by its managers, to the agency's board of directors, for $39 million dollars politically connected, quote, "coastalcleanup," unquote, project that led to the destruction and thedestitution of a powerless Greek village close to Himare, NorthernEpirus, in Albania, in 2007, in full cooperation with Sali Berishagovernment. I'm wondering if you aware about that from the human rights pointof view.

MR. DUGUID: I don't have any information on that. If I can findanything, I will get back to you. Thank you.

see more video: http://www.state.gov/video/?videoid=13349516001

Greece, debates on national issues requested by LAOS

Conducting pre-agenda debate on the Greek national issues sent in a letter of request to the chairman of the Greek Parliament, Demetrios Sioufas by the chairman of LAOS Georgeos Karatzaferis.

"There are new developments of our national issues, creating the impression that the government passively monitor the events, just the government is trying to manage the intern problems of the country forgetting the national interests of the Greek policy" notes in his letter Mr Karatzaferis.

Among other things, the President of LAOS refers to pressures for the reintroduction of the Annan plan in Cyprus for evacuation of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants "official with responsibility of Turkey", issue for the name of Skopje, to remove property homogeneous of Greeks in Albania, etc. says Mr. Karatzaferis.

more see: http://www.kathimerini.gr/

THE ALBANIAN NATIONALIST TRIAL

Gjirokaster, the protest anti-Bollanos & Kseras, two Albanian boys free

The Regional Court of Gjiroksater dismissed today the case in charge of two young men from Tepelena, who were arrested months ago because of patriotic protest against the mayor of Himara and president of Omonia Vasilis Bollanos and Spyros Kseras. Orgen Hasanbegaj and Luan Halili, are declared innocent by the court, and dismissed the case.

The protest of the young is supported by political parties and members of the Albanian Parliament. They were arrested because they staged a “peaceful protest blocking the national road” against Vasil Bollanos and Spyros Kseras, known for their “anti-Albanian sentiments”.

Members of the “Chameria” Community also backed the protest of young Albanian people, urging the Court to declare them innocent.

A 28-year-old Greek found executed on the Greek Albanian border

Unknown still now, many mysterious circumstances which has caused the deaths of Greek citizen from Thesprotia, northern Greece.

Gaxellos Vasillos body was found near the pyramid 54, in the village Janjar, near the border with the Greece, about 65 km from the city of Saranda today Albanian media reported.

more see: http://www.panorama.com.al/index.php?id=24781