Sunday, February 3, 2013

pipesline

REFILE-Italy, Albania, Greece to sign TAP gas line accord Feb 13

"The agreement will be signed on Feb. 13 in Athens," the spokesman said. A TAP source confirmed the date.
Sat Feb 2, 2013 
 

Feb 2 (Reuters) - Greece, Italy and Albania will sign on Feb. 13 in Athens an agreement that seals their support for a natural gas pipeline project to cross their territories, a spokesman for Greece's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

The intergovernmental agreement is a condition to build the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), a project to link Azerbaijan's giant Shah Deniz II field with the three countries and beyond to western Europe.
TAP is one of two competing projects to carry gas from Shah Deniz to Europe, which is keen to reduce its dependence on existing suppliers including Russia. TAP's shareholders are Swiss energy company Axpo (42.5 percent), Norway's Statoil (42.5 percent) and E.ON Ruhrgas of Germany (15 percent).

Its rival Nabucco West includes Austria's OMV, Germany's RWE, Hungary's MOL and Turkey's Botas.
The Shah Deniz consortium, which comprises BP, Statoil, Azeri energy firm SOCAR and Total, has a 50-percent equity option in both rival projects. It is expected to choose one of the two pipeline contenders by mid-2013.

Greece, Italy and Albania had signed a preliminary agreement to back TAP back in September (Reporting by Harry Papachristou)

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Kozani Bank Robbers Linked to Terrorist Organization

View of kozani
View of kozani (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Two of four people arrested for a simultaneous armed robbery of two banks on Friday in the town of Velvento, Kozani, are wanted as suspected members of a terrorist organization, police confirmed on Saturday, a day after the counter-terrorism squad took over the investigation into the incident.

The four were arrested Friday after a police pursuit and another four were wanted, hours after a double bank hold-up by eight suspects of an Agricultural Bank (ATEbank) and Post Office Bank (TT-Postbank) branch in Velvento on Friday morning. According to a dispatch from the state news agency, the counter-terrorism squad took over the investigation after heavy weaponry was found in their possession.

The four detainees were taken in for interrogation by the Thessaloniki police counter-terrorism squad, where it was found that arrest warrants were outstanding against two of the suspects for participation in the "Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire" organization, while the other two detainees are university students active in the anti-establishment sphere.

The four detainees will be taken at the Kozani prosecutor, under draconian security measures, for indictment.

Meanwhile, police were continuing a search by land and air to locate the other four suspects of the double bank robbery that were still at large, while an extensive investigation was being conducted in the wider Kozani region for a possible safehouse used by the suspects.

http://hellasfrappe.blogspot.com/

Vojvodina’s autonomy won’t be abolished, speaker says

NOVI SAD -- Serbian parliament speaker Nebojša Stefanović has stated that he has not received any official request to abolish Vojvodina’s autonomy.
Nebojša Stefanović (Beta)
Nebojša Stefanović (Beta)
He added that his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) had no intention of scrapping the province’s autonomy.
“We are not planning on abolishing any autonomy. We are planning on enabling citizens in all parts of Serbia to live completely normal because we are all equally poor,” Stefanović told Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV).

According to him, “once citizens get to live better, once they have more money, similar initiatives will be much less interesting and we will think much more about how to have a better life”.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Albanians want memorial for fallen policemen removed

BUJANOVAC -- Ethnic Albanian parties from southern Serbia organized a protest in Bujanovac on Friday and demanded that a memorial for fallen policemen be removed.
(Beta)
(Beta)
The memorial is located between the villages of Lučani and Dobrosin, in honor of the Serbian Gendarmes who died during the NATO attacks in 1999, and later in clashes with the so-called Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UCPMB) - an ethnic Albanian terrorist group that has since been disbanded.
A memorial placed for the UCPMB members in downtown Preševo without a permit, and later removed, previously generated a great deal of controversy.

On Friday, several thousand ethnic Albanians rallied under the slogan "Together against the monument for the Serbian Gendarmerie in Lučani".

The protest was organized by the local parties, the National Council of Albanians, and the Council for Human Rights.

On Wednesday, President of the Coordinating Body for southern Serbia Zoran Stanković said that the local administrative unit (MZ) in Lučani -a village inhabited solely by ethnic Albanians - had sent a demand for the memorial to be removed.

The initiator of the protest today was the right-wing Movement for Democratic Progress (PDP). Its leader Jonuz Musliu told B92 earlier on Friday that there was "no reason for the Gendarmerie to place the monument exactly there".

"For that reason we will send a demand to the regime in Belgrade to remove the monument," he added.

Musliu also claims that works on this memorial started before that in Preševo and that "written approval of the local self-government in Bujanovac was not obtained".

According to Musliu, "the memorial monument" was placed as "a provocation toward Albanians".

Villagers in Lučani say they are "livid and upset", while local MZ President Ridvan Isufi told reporters that "nobody from the Gendarmerie, or the authorities, spoke a single word with him about this procedure".
parlamenti
Thaçi, ready for war with Serbia

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, responding to criticism from opposition MPs for talks with Serbia, in a moment of anger, said to be willing to go to war with Serbia, if the Assembly decides to do so.

"Kosovo's Parliament decides for peace, for war. Let us decide Kosovo's parliament and government will implement it, "he said, striking with the palm floor of Parliament House, reports the" Daily Time ".

Bomb Explodes Outside the U.S. Embassy in Turkey

AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici
 
There are reports from turkish media that a bomb exploded outside the entrance to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, and witnesses say it may be a suicide attack. Details are still very limited, but the blast happened sometime around 1:00 p.m. local time (6:00 a.m. Eastern) and there are reports of damage to the building and many wounded bystanders.
 The Telegraph says the explosion was caused by package, not a suicide bomber, but all reports remained unconfirmed.  Kesler says his sources are saying one Turkish police officer and the bomber are the two dead people.

“Serbia is main factor of peace, stability in region”

BELGRADE -- Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that Serbia and Turkey have a joint vision of the region in which countries would be peacefully integrated.
Ahmet Davutoglu and Ivan Mrkić (Tanjug)
Ahmet Davutoglu and Ivan Mrkić (Tanjug)
Davutoglu arrived in Belgrade on Friday and met with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić.
The two ministers after the meeting signed an agreement on employment of staff of the diplomatic-consular missions.

The Turkish FM stressed that Serbia would continue to be a “central strategic factor of stability and peace in the region”.

He told a press conference that he had come to Belgrade as a part of the preparation for an upcoming visit of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić to Turkey.

He added that he also came to Belgrade to bring a message of partnership and peace.

Mrkić said that he had an “open and heartily talk” that “is common between friends”. He added that the main topics of the talks were improvement of stability in the region, economic cooperation and the Belgrade-Priština dialogue.

The two ministers agreed that economic cooperation between Serbia and Turkey was good but that it could be significantly improved.

Davutogu stressed that Nikolić would during his visit to Turkey also confer with Turkish entrepreneurs and added that his country encouraged its businesspeople to invest in Serbia.

The Turkish FM said that Turkey strongly supported the Belgrade- Priština talks and that it was ready to contribute to the process in any way it could.

Davutolgu will during his one-day visit also meet with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, Trade Minister Rasim Ljajić and Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin.

Even though a meeting with the Serbian president was announced earlier, Nikolić's office has released that the meeting was cancelled due to technical reasons.
Ο Πύρρος Δήμας θα είναι επικεφαλής του ψηφοδελτίου Επικρατείας του ΠΑΣΟΚ!

Pyrros Dimas, meeting with the Greek Minister of Labour, for problem of pensions to the Northern Epiriots

- Initiative of MP of PASOK, Pyrros Dimas for preparing and drafting a legislative proposal in collaboration with representatives of the Northern Epirus organizations.

- The Minister agreed on the need to find a solution and urged the Member to develop concrete proposals, and that after consultation with the Secretary of the New Republic, Manolis Kefaloyiannis will be submitted jointly to the Minister of Finance.


PASOK MP, Pyrros Dimas, met with the Minister of Labour, Social Security and Welfare, John Vroutsi - after filing his question-and discussed the burning issue of the retirement of older Northern Epirus by OGA. The deputy minister analyzed in an unfavorable situation for Northern Epirus regarding social insurance. 


The OGA pension is for many families in Northern Epirus, is important and very serious economic and social problems. It also helps to stimulate the Greek presence in Northern Epirus. However, the - new and old-conditions that make it extremely difficult drafting the administration of Northern Epirus beneficiaries.

The Northern Epirot MP asked the Minister legislate on the subject, exceptional and limited in time, which will significantly enhance the Greek minority. The Minister agreed on the need to find a solution and urged the Member to develop concrete proposals, and that after consultation with the Secretary of the Ministry, Manolis Kefaloyiannis will be submitted jointly to the Minister of Finance.

Pyrros Dimas took the initiative in preparing and drafting the legislative proposal in collaboration with representatives of the Northern Epirus Organisations, which will convene in joint session on this issue.

Northern Kosovo Serbs continue to block road

RUDARE -- A new roadblock set up by Northern Kosovo Serbs on Thursday afternoon is hindering traffic in the northern Kosovo village of Rudare.
(file)
(file)
Serbs set up the new roadblock made of tree logs on the Priština-Raška road after KFOR troops removed large concrete blocks from the road on Thursday morning.
Northern Kosovo Serbs stress they will not give up on their fight to prevent the northern part of the province from being integrated into Kosovo institutions. They say they are obligated to do so by decisions of councilors of four northern Kosovo municipalities.

Washington, interventions for the cancellation of Maritime Pact with Greece

The newspaper "SOT" referred to a meeting of U.S. Ambassador Alexander Arvizou, with leaders of The "Red and Black" Alliance, in Tirana

"SOT"; intentionally, in Water Agreement, the Greek side, has avoided the inclusion of any other state, that may have an impact on Albania.


The U.S. government has been unhappy with the agreement of the waters between Greece and Albania, this was according to the newspaper "SOT" that many political parties and the courts, rightly, have rejected this agreement. The statement comes from the American ambassador in Albania, Arvizou, who in a meeting he had with the leaders of the Red and Black alliance, was also disappointed with the Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha.


Newspapers simultaneously implied in the agreement for maritime border, the Greek government has deliberately avoided any involvement with influential state in Albania, implying the United States of America, sources told the newspaper, during the meeting in the offices of the Red and Black Alliance.


But unlike such claims Athens, which often has officially targeting Turkey, after intervening after the cancellation of the agreement with Greece, an implication of Washington, for this agreement, means maybe even a new development in the Balkan geopolitics, particularly the issue and interests that collide, between the territories of Greece and Albania.




http://www.sot.com.al/politike/arvizu-berisha-shiti-interesat-amerikane-dhe-shqiptare-me-paktin-detar-me-greqin%C3%AB

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Dan zastave u Bujanovcu (Foto: Tanjug, arhiva)


"The U.S. and the Greater Albania project"

 "Slobodna Dalmacija."newspaper

http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2013&mm=01&dd=31&nav_category=167&nav_id=682475

Split - United States for years preparing the project of creating a Greater Albania, which could be completed as early as this year, according to Split newspaper "Slobodna Dalmacija."


The newspaper notes that the south-east of Europe shortest transit route between the West and the oil-and gas-rich areas of Central Asia, which is part of the "new great geopolitical game."

The newspaper reminiscent of statements by Albanian officials about "the need for unification of all Albanian territories."

"Slobodna Dalmacija." the Croatian newspaper, quotes the director of the Institute for Regional Forecasting and advisor of three Albanian Prime Minister Koco Danaj, who said that this year peacefully should be formed a new Albanian state, which would unite all Albanian territories.

Recalling the recent statement by the Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to the unification of all Albanian territories unstoppable in "Free Dalmatia" points out that while some analysts argue that the new Albanian state a realistic project that some may be fears and bring new tensions, others state that Berisha's words have been misinterpreted.

"The U.S. project to create a Greater Albania is actually slowly through diplomatic and military means realized for many years. There is a history of U.S. involvement in the region, but when it comes to this project, it should be noted on several key points. It is an American NATO bombing Serbia in 1999. years, after which NATO in Kosovo deployed 50,000 well-armed troops, "the newspaper said.

There was added, the Ohrid Agreement, the U.S. project, which began a process of political reform in Macedonia's constitutional amendments and the adoption of many new laws that provide substantially more rights for Macedonia's Albanians.

The third key point is, the newspaper said, American support for the independence of Montenegro and Kosovo, which has been weakened Serbia, conducted its decomposition and thus established a regional balance.

"American politics is the military and diplomatic engagement prepared the project of a Greater Albania," said for the "Slobodna Dalmacija." political scientist, Dr. Jadranka.

Noting the significance of Kosovo as a part of southeast Europe, half said that the region as well as in the past and now has significant geopolitical, geo-economic and geostrategic importance, which determines the political future of the region.

"Coupled with the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia, the Danube Region and Central Europe, has always been subject to the interests of the great powers. Because of the growing importance of energy in the geopolitics of the 21st century, this space important transit route, so here's Gazprom is finally in Croatia, is a space of strong global competition centers of power, " she said.

According to her, Southeast Europe is the shortest transit route between Western Europe and the oil-and gas-rich areas of Central Asia and the Caspian basin, and as such its becomes part of the "new great geopolitical game", the area where the intersecting interests of the United States, Europe, Russia and Turkey.

Half of them indicated that as the project of establishing U.S. dominance in Eurasia begins in the southeast of Europe with Albania and ends in China.

United States to its geostrategic Central Asia rely on the network of pro-US countries in southeast Europe - Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece, in the context of the latest and Kosovo, as well as the country's Caspian region - Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, as well as Georgia and Ukraine , to which, he says, spreading malicious strategy of unification, Americanization of the world.

"It is an example of Kosovo as a new state created with the use of American policy instruments has become an indicator of continued U.S. domination in the region and efforts to maintain a unipolar American leadership not only in the southeast of Europe, but in the whole region of Eurasia," she said.

She added that Kosovo remains an American in mastering the rules of democracy, free-market adoption lessons and opening to foreign investors.

U.S. policy, she says, shaking all projects in Kosovo.

"It is a shame that the U.S. officials, who beat Serbia, now privatized most vital parts of Kosovo's economy," says half.

She says she does not expect unrest in this part of the Balkans.

"The leaders of the Albanian national movement these days say that the U.S. and Russia agreed redrawing boundaries so that Presevo, Kosovo, and I believe part of Macedonia and Montenegro, found in the Greater Albania. Them, I truly believe it is already the new configuration space former Yugoslavia conducted by two integration processes: joining NATO in the region and the European Union, "she says.

She pointed out that nation-states are losing sense, global players progress through the project of expanding democracy, human rights and free markets, which includes global poverty in the region.

New state, she added, are totally dependent on foreign capital, and these days, she said, the Croatian government is seen as pilot, conducted all foreign players ordered ...

"The region is earthquake high unemployment, apathy, people, amazing social differences, and, indeed, American favorites, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, could be seen as the country with the highest crime," said for the "Slobodna Dalmacija." political scientist, Dr. Jadranka

Body of missing U.S. pilot recovered from Adriatic

ROME -- The body of a U.S. pilot whose warplane crashed into the Adriatic Sea on January 28 has been recovered, ANSA is reporting.
(Beta/AP, file)
(Beta/AP, file)
Earlier, the pilot was identified as Lucas Gruenther.
The F-16 was on a night training flight when a NATO base in Italy lost contact with the pilot.

It is believed that the jet went down due to technical malfunction on the way back to the base, according to AFP.

The U.S. military said on January 29 that Italian rescue crews had found and recovered the wreckage of the plane.

Daily: Ex-KLA’s defense financed with “dirty money”

PRIŠTINA -- Kosovo’s Special Prosecution suspects that a part of the money spent on ex-KLA commander Fatmir Limaj’s defense came from criminal activities.
Fatmir Limaj (FoNet, file)
Fatmir Limaj (FoNet, file)
This is according to Priština-based Albanian language daily Koha Ditore.
Limaj's defense before the Hague Tribunal cost EUR 1mn and another EUR 1mn was spent for his defense in Priština in the case of war crimes in an illegal detention camp of the now disbanded ethnic Albanian terrorist group Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the village of Klečka.

EUR 1mn came from the Limaj Fund while prosecutors suspect that the second million came from criminal activities.

The Special Prosecution has indicted Limaj and two of his brothers, Demir and Florimi, for money laundering and they are facing up to ten years in prison and a fine three times bigger than the amount of the money suspected of being illegally obtained.

Kosovo’s Special Prosecution’s German Prosecutor Johannes Picker suspects that Limaj’s lawyer Karim Khan was paid with “dirty money”. Picker stated in the indictment that Demir Limaj had sold an unregistered property to Arbon Desku of Klina for EUR 500,000 in November 2011.

“In December 2011, Demir Limaj transferred EUR 316,900 and on January 12 another EUR 120,000 to the account of Fatmir Limaj’s attorney Karim Khan in the Netherlands,” the prosecutor said.

Khan was Limaj’s defense attorney in war crimes cases in The Hague and in Priština. Limaj was found not guilty for war crimes against Serbs and ethnic Albanians in the KLA camp in Lapušnik. He is facing a trial for kidnapping and murdering Serb civilians and members of the Yugoslav Army (VJ) in a KLA camp in Klečka in 1999 before the Priština court.
Toponimet, Panariti takon ambasadorin grek: Nevojë për zgjidhje urgjente

Toponyms, Panariti mets the Greek Ambassador: Need urgent solutions

 Tirana has called several times, the Greek ambassador in the Foreign Ministry, which means that the two countries have serious problems.

 TIRANA - The problem of toponyms in the passports of Albanian children, who were born in Greece, has set in motion the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At a meeting held today with the Greek ambassador in Tirana, Leonidas C. Rokanas, Edmond Panariti Minister stressed the need for toponyms issue resolved quickly.As informs the press office of the Foreign Ministry, the meeting Minister Panariti stressed that the Albanian government has already presented a proposal for resolving this issue, based on international practices, and remains open to dialogue so that this problem be addressed as more quickly and definitively.The interlocutors agreed to intensify negotiations to resolve the issue through meetings between the working groups set up in the respective countries.

Also, Panariti minister sought to publish official information about the interpretation of the Schengen Code by Greek border authorities, in order for the citizens to have a clear time calculation inputs and outputs in Greece, thus avoiding the criminalization of their at border crossing points.Minister Panariti and Rokanas ambassador expressed mutual willingness to resolve technical issues without delay in the interest of citizens.


A few days ago 14 women and children returned home after their children passports born Hellenic state, "Greece" written not English. Mothers and their offspring, they departed from Tirana yesterday, January 30, at 06:00, with an airline arrival at Athens airport only had a confrontation with the Greek police, which did not allow any children born in Greece to enter Greek territory, even in their passports marked by a cross exit stamp from Albania.


According to Albanian, Greek police explained that, after failing to deal with the Albanian party, the order not to recognize these passports is still in force.Meanwhile, Tirana has called several times, the Greek ambassador in the Foreign Ministry, which means that the two countries have serious problems, which are reflected simultaneously in both countries' foreign policies.

“Serbia cannot block Kosovo's UN membership”

BELGRADE -- German Ambassador to Serbia Heinz Wilhelm has said that Serbia's compliance with Kosovo's UN membership is not a condition for Belgrade.
Heinz Wilhelm (Beta, file)
Heinz Wilhelm (Beta, file)
He added that it was not something the country's date for the start of EU accession talks depended on.
“Of course, this refers to here and now. However, Priština's request, which we support, will impose itself eventually - Serbia should not block Kosovo's membership in the UN,” Wilhelm told daily Politika.

He added that, ultimately, “Serbia cannot block Kosovo's UN membership”.

“If one day Kosovo submits such a request, the General Assembly will decide on it at the proposal of the UN Security Council,” the ambassador noted.

Asked about the conditions Berlin has imposed on Belgrade, he said there were no special ones.

“What we and the EU want is normalization of relations with Kosovo. The process of normalization is left to the two negotiating parties - Priština and Belgrade,” Wilhelm said.

According to him, Germany's position is clear - Berlin has recognized Kosovo and wants Serbia to establish good relations with it.

“Berlin's position should be viewed from this perspective when it comes to Serbia's final EU accession. We will not support the membership of a country which has unresolved issued with its neighbors,” the German ambassador concluded.


Albanian media, will escalate debates on national issues



Polling of national TV Klan, shows that 85% of Albanians, seeking constructive debate on national issues

While the issue of Christos Pappas, has conquered all of recent days media space in Albanian opinion, the media have advanced in the organization of national debate.

According to national TV Klan, a pooling of recent days has shown that 85% of the Albanian public, want to debate national issues of the country, moving away from monotonous campaign, which usually develops harsh policy in the run-up to elections.

Albania politics recently, have faced national issues developments, as by Kosovo and Serbia, as well as in South Greece. The main cause was a statement of  Albania PM, Sali Berisha, on the 100th anniversary of the independence of Albania, last November. Berisha said that the Albanian lands, starting from Preveza Greece and end up in Serbia Preshevo ".

Berisha Declaration, caused a reaction in Athens, which canceled a visit of Foreign Minister Avramopoulos. In addition Greece, raised the issue of Albanian Irredentism in NATO, drawing attention to unexpected developments in the region.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the parliamentary group of the "Golden Dawn" in Greece, during a interview for a TV channel, called for the liberation of North Epirus, even by the Greek army, urging Tirana, to honor "The Corfu Protocol" of 1914 which gives the North Epirus, Autonomy.

Are these developments, for which, a pooling in Albania, has shown that the Albanians, prefer more steps in their national affairs opinion.
The "Golden Dawn" Statement 




The response of  the "Golden Dawn" for declaring the MP Christos Pappas as "Persona non grata" in Albania

The list of undesirable persons in Albania, has registered the name of Deputies of the "Golden Dawn" Christos Pappas, according to reports in the Albanian media.


After his statements about autonomy and the possibility of military intervention in Northern Epirus, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmonton Panariti, has declared for Pappas, as «persona non grata».
Information indicates that to Albanian FM Panariti has already asked the Ministry of Interior of the country to stop the entering of the Greek nationalists in Albanian territory.


The rival of Christos Pappas in an interview in Albanian channel does not mince his words at all and said bluntly and talked about the Protocol of Corfu signed by Albania itself and has no respect for the war between Greece and Albania, has officially lifted, the origin of the Albanians and their story about illegal immigration and crime in Greece and many others ..


As pointed out by rival of Pappas purpose was to remind everyone that Northern Epirus is Greek is enslaved and that the Golden Dawn does not forget our Greek brothers and fights for the rights of Hellenism. This indeed was the message at the end of the interview:


"Courage to our Brothers ...! ... we never do not forget you, we are back to you. We will liberate the  Northern Epirus and Greeks."


These words scare Albanians who are used to favor cowards to governments in recent years silent in front of falsifying history and challenges. Albanians inside and outside of our country, know very well that the Golden Dawn is the third political force in Greece and soon their promiscuity will end with their worst nightmares come true.


"The Greek Nationalist Movement will be at the forefront of the struggle for the preservation of national honor and Greeks of Northern Epirus", ends the statement of the Golden Dawn to Tirana.



Wednesday, January 30, 2013


 

Nikolaos Dertilis, 94, last jailed member of Greece military dictatorship


ATHENS, Greece — Nikolaos Dertilis, the last jailed member of the military dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967-74, has died. He was 94.
Mr. Dertilis had been transferred in December from the maximum security Korydallos Prison, where he had spent the past 38 years, to Athens’ Erythros Stavros Hospital with heart problems after suffering a stroke. He died Monday, the hospital said.

As a colonel, Mr. Dertilis was among a group of middle-ranking officers who seized power in a bloodless coup on April 21, 1967. The dictators imposed martial law and cracked down heavily on political opponents, imprisoning or exiling thousands of mostly left-wing supporters, many of whom were tortured by military police.

After the restoration of democracy, Mr. Dertilis was sentenced to life in prison for the execution of a youth during the bloody suppression of a student uprising in 1973.
He never repented for his acts and refused to request clemency — even to attend his son’s funeral last year.
The country’s extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party, which rose from the political fringes to enter Parliament last year, issued a statement saluting Mr. Dertilis as “an exceptional Greek and a soldier who shed his blood for his country on the battlefields.”

“[Dertilis] died without signing a declaration of repentance to his jailers, and fully honoring his word — that they could nail his jail release papers to his coffin,” the party statement said. AP

Serbs in north Kosovo gather for protest rally


KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Thousands of Serbs gathered on Wednesday in northern Kosovska Mitrovica for a rally under the slogan, "Stop Brussels fraud and deceptions".
(Tanjug)
(Tanjug)
Beta news agency says that the rally was attended by some 10,000 people, while Tanjug puts the number at 5,000.
The protest was organized by the leaders of the four municipalities in the northern, mostly Serb part of Kosovo.

Mayors and local assembly speakers of Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok all attended.

Those gathered accepted by acclamation a declaration rejecting the establishment of Priština's institutions in their areas, and announced that they would undertake all forms of civil disobedience, including setting up new roadblocks, in order to express their opposition.

They also demanded that Belgrade withdraws from the Kosovo dialogue, held in Brussels, that the agreements reached so far not be implemented, and asked the Constitutional Court to appraise their legality and that of a relevant decree passed by the government in order to implement the deals.

The citizens were seen carrying banners against the EU-sponsored Kosovo dialogue, calls for the Constitution and UN Resolution 1244 to be respected, while others declared that "only traitors would give up on Kosovo", rejected once again "a Kosovo state" and Kosovo's institutions, and at the same time pledging "not to give away Serbian courts”.

Serbs are a majority north of the Ibar River and reject both the authority of the government in Priština, and the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made five years ago.

Serbian, Cypriot leaders exchange state decorations

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić welcomed on Wednesday in Belgrade his Cypriot counterpart Dimitris Christofias.
(Tanjug)
(Tanjug)
Christofias, who is heading a state delegation to the first summit of the two countries, was officially welcomed in a ceremony at the Serbian Presidency building.
After the meeting, the Serbian president presented Christofias with the Order of the Republic of Serbia on a sash, and received from him the Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III.

The first Serbian-Cypriot summit is being held in Belgrade on Wednesday. The Cypriot president and Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić are presiding over the meeting.