Rezart Taci reported at the Police

The Directory for Economic and Financial Crime at the General State Police Directory, after intensive investigations in full secrecy, has handed over to the prosecution a criminal report against businessman Rezart Taci for tax evasion.

The abuse might reach 15 million USD. His collaborators are also under invesetigation, such as Anika Taci, Mustafa Taci, Drita Alicka, Arianit Kolgega and Irgen Selfo.

These people are suspected of tax evasion, financial fraud and forgery in cooperation with other tax office employees.

The case has been investigated by the Economic Crime Unit, and has been sent to the Tirana Task Force, Financial and Economic Crime Directory, the General State Police Directory, and Taci is charged of failing to declare the sales of 566.000 liters of oil, with a value of 486.000 USD, exported by the “Taci Oil” company for the Montenegrin “Ik Real DOO Podgorica”; for no paying the tax obligations and fines of the ARMO society, with Rezart Taci being its general administrator.

The Company KUID, owned by Rezart Taci, has failed to pay 138.5 million ALL as taxes and fines. Experts suspect that Taci has created several companies with the same activity goal, such as ARMO, KUID, TACI OIL, and KUARTA, all involved in a series of bank transactions between them, probably to hide assets.

The case has a series of facts, including suspicious transactions and quick money transfer, without having all the banking documents and the noterial agreements to justify the goal of using their funds and destinations.

The case also has the documents of a 4.5 million EUR transfer in favor of the ARMO company, which have disappeared without any trace within one day.

Experts of the economic anticrime mentioned the other case, which they suspect that could be about a fraud of giant proportions. The Swiss company Societe Generale de Surveillance, based in Geneva, has issued a bill for Niti Petroleum Company, with the description: “Claim for loss of a product with a total value 28.4 million EUR”.

According to the economic anticrime, there are suspicions for another fraud with the “Niti Petroleum Company”. Sources say for Top Channel that the Economic and Financial Crime Directory at the General Police Directory is continuing the investigation of other people who are involved in this affair. However, the case is now ready and the last word will be said by the task force prosecution, who will be taken as defendants.

Foreign Policy: The End of Erdogan

December 21 2013

Why a power struggle over Turkey's deep state could bring down the government.

BY JOHN HANNAH DECEMBER 20, 2013



There's a very big story developing in Turkey that all foreign policy mavens should be watching closely. Exactly how big remains to be seen, but the stakes are huge. At issue: Will the decade-long domination of Turkish politics by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-leaning Justice and Development Party (AKP) continue? Or is the Erdogan era about to come crashing down, fatally weakened by scandal, infighting, and authoritarian overreach?

Early Tuesday morning, police in Istanbul and Ankara carried out a wave of stunning arrests that included powerful businessmen, the sons of three cabinet ministers, and the head of an important state-owned financial institution, Halkbank. The operation flowed from a series of corruption-related investigations that have apparently been underway for a year or more. All the key targets swept up in the raids are closely linked to Erdogan's government.

Erdogan, characteristically, responded by going on the offensive and hurling accusations at his opponents. He attacked the action as a "dirty operation," the goal of which was to smear his administration and undermine the progress that Turkey had made under his leadership. He alluded to a dark conspiracy launched by terrorist gangs, both foreign and domestic

Erdogan alluded to a dark conspiracy launched by terrorist gangs, both foreign and domestic.
that were operating a state within the state. While insisting that Turkey was a democracy, not some two-bit banana republic, he proceeded to engineer within a day the sacking of more than 20 high-level police officers in Istanbul and Ankara, including those directly in charge of the units that carried out the raids. More heads seem almost certain to roll. Rumors that the lead prosecutor supervising the investigations had also been removed were vehemently denied -- though two new prosecutors were suddenly (and mysteriously) added to the probe. Howls of political interference in an ongoing judicial matter erupted. The crisis deepened.

These dramatic events were simply the latest escalation in a long-simmering battle royale within the AKP's Islamist coalition. On one side: Erdogan and his followers, whose political roots lie in the transnational Muslim Brotherhood movement founded in Egypt in 1928. On the other: the Gulenists, a secretive society whose religious ideology bears a more distinctly Turkish flavor, led by Fethullah Gulen, a septuagenarian cleric who fled Turkey in the late 1990s and now lives in exile in rural Pennsylvania. Partners for much of the past decade in the AKP's systematic efforts to undermine the foundations of Ataturk's secular republic and bring the Turkish military to heel, Erdogan and the Gulenists have now turned on each other with a vengeance.

Figuring out exactly why is no easy matter. Ultimately, it's about power, of course. More specifically, it's about Erdogan and the intensifying megalomania that has become an increasingly prominent feature of his governing style. The man now appears more or less incapable of brooking any challenge to his authority. Egged on by an inner-circle of sycophants who live in fear of his wrath, Erdogan appears genuinely convinced that his personal interests and agenda, and those of the Turkish nation, are now largely synonymous. What he wants is, ipso facto, what the Turkish people need. Anyone who disagrees with him is resisting the popular will. Anyone who criticizes him is attacking Turkey and constitutes, by definition, an enemy of the state, a traitor that must be broken and neutralized.

It's a world where independent centers of power, wealth, influence, and allegiance are always a danger. Eventually, they must be cowed into submission, co-opted, or crushed, deploying as necessary the coercive levers of the state to do so -- threats, wiretaps, blackmail, tax liens, arrests, manufactured evidence, long-term imprisonment, all are fair game. In no small part, the story of the first decade of AKP rule has been its slow but methodical march through the commanding institutions of Turkish society. One by one, by hook or by crook, they have been brought into line. The bureaucracy: check. The media: check. Business: check. The courts: check. And, of course, the big enchilada, the military: check. Or, more accurately, checkmate.

From this perspective, it was perhaps only a matter of time before Erdogan set his sights on the Gulenists. They oversee a worldwide network of schools. They control their own business and media empire. They have a charismatic leader, a distinct ideology, and, it is believed, millions of loyal followers throughout Turkey. Most threatening of all, Gulenists are said to be seeded throughout the Turkish power structure, with particular influence over the police and the judiciary. Indeed, Gulenists have......

cont:http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/12/20/the_end_of_erdogan#sthash.DRI6jVz5.dpbs

Erdogan Has lost the plot! Implies he will expel US ambassador

December 21 2013


Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan address to his supporters in Black Sea province of Samsun. (Photo: HA)

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan has implied to expel US Ambassador to Ankara for his alleged remarks regarding a major graft probe in which four ministers face allegations of bribery and wrongdoing, and the state bank Halkbank is accused of links to suspicious money transactions and gold-smuggling from Iran.
According to a report appeared on the pro-government Yeniafak daily, the US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone told EU ambassadors in Ankara in a meeting on Dec. 17, the beginning of the graft probe, that the US had asked Turkey to cut Halkbanks financial ties with Iran.

We requested end of financial ties of Halkbank with Iran. But they didnt listen. You are watching collapse of an empire [Turkey], said Ricciardone, according to the Yeniafak report, regarding the ongoing investigation into alleged bribery and tender rigging.

Speaking at a rally in northern province of Samsun on Saturday, Erdoan again struck a defiant tone, adamantly rejected any wrongdoing, deeming the corruption case as an international plot to weaken Turkeys growing economic and diplomatic clout, and topple the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government.

"These recent days, very strangely, ambassadors get involved in some provocative acts. I am calling on them from here, do your job, if you leave your area of duty, this could extend into our government's area of jurisdiction. We do not have to keep you [Ricciardone] in our country," Erdogan told supporters in the Black Sea province of Samsun, implying to expel US ambassador.

The US Embassy to Turkey has denied any role in the investigation. "All allegations in news stories are downright lies and slander," it said in a statement.

The statement said massive corruption probe in Turkey has nothing to do with the United States, denying reports appeared in pro-government dailies. He warned that nobody should put Turkish-US ties at jeopardy with such false claims.

Erdoan's remarks would likely to fuel tension between two allies amid ongoing corruption investigation.

Two sons of Turkish ministers and an Iranian-Azerbaijani businessman Reza Zerrab are among 24 suspects arrested as part of an investigation into a bribery and fraud ring that has rocked Turkey since Tuesday.

Son of Economy Minister Zafer Çalayan, Kaan Çalayan, and son of Interior Minister, Bar Güler, as well as Halkbank General Director Süleyman Aslan and Zerrab are among 16 people arrested early on Friday. Eight people were arrested late on Thursday.

On Thursday, 49 suspects, including Fatih district mayor Mustafa Demir and Güler, were referred to court for arrest.

The suspects are accused of rigging state tenders, accepting and facilitating the payment of bribes for major urbanization projects, obtaining construction permits for protected areas in exchange for money, helping foreigners obtain Turkish citizenship with falsified documentation, involvement in export fraud, forging documents and smuggling gold. There are also claims that the suspects illegally sold historical artifacts that were unearthed during excavations for the Marmaray underwater rail project that connects Europe and Asia.

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-334605-erdogan-implies-to-expel-us-ambassador.html

Greek Army, a second Military Intervention exercises against Albanian Paramilitaries


 
Exercise treatment groups for eminent attach by UCK and UCC 

Greek Special Forces re installed in Prespa


For the second time suddenly activated the Rapid Reaction Force of the northern borders sector to conduct pneumatic energy and development departments mountain commando in the Prespa Region near Borders with Albania. The scenario of the exercise "Pirpolites of 11/13" provided to identify and neutralize armed groups of UCK and the UCC within Greek territory.

In pursuit of "Pirpolites exercises 2013" is involved the staff of the Special Forces, especially mountain commando, which moved with four helicopters "Chinook", supported by two helicopters Apache.

www.defencenet.gr

 
Donation to the Albanian army by Turkey

Donation to the Albanian army send Turkey Defense Ministry. The assistance referred to the military vehicles, generators and other technical equipment for the Albanian army and police in total about 3 million euro..

To the deliver of the Turkish army equipment,attended at the ceremony, the Administration of the Land Albanian Forces in Zall-Herr, in which the Minister of Defence of Albania, Mimi Kdheli, thanked the ambassador and military attache of Turkey in Tirana .

During the ceremony, the Ambassador of Turkey, Hydayet Bayraktar, symbolically donated to the Minister of Defence of Albania, a vehicle for the movement personaly.

Impressively SYRIZA first party in Greece by polling Pulse




The Golden Dawn continues to 11.5%


And another poll confirms the opening of the big game of SYRIZA,, while a high percentage of The Golden Dawn to 11.5 % vote intention predisposes electoral influence the order of 20 %  ND

Specifically, the survey of Pulse on behalf of the " Journal of the authors ' intention to vote SYRIZA is cited by 22.5 % compared to 20 % of ND and follow the Golden Dawn with 11.5 %, white / abstain 11% undecided / no answer 9 %, PASOK and KKE 5.5 % , 5% other parties, the Independent Greeks 4.5 %, 3% Democratic Left, Ecologists Greens 1.5 % and 1% LAOS .

In winning performance, SYRIZA occupies 47%, ND 33%, the "other party" and 11% " do not know / no answer " 9% .

Both polls today ( the Palmos Analysis we presented earlier) the "psychological" show winning is obviously the SYRIZA, the world believes will be the next government .

Serbia "opposed to any changes to Dayton agreement"

Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serbia, as a signatory of the Dayton Agreement, is interested in progress in both political entities of Bosnia-Herzegovina and cooperation in general interest.

(Tanjug)

But Serbia at the same time opposes any changes to the agreement, because it would undermine the country's stability, President Tomislav Nikolić and visiting member of the Bosnian Presidency Nebojša Radmanović stated in Belgrade on Friday.
It is necessary to first establish the best possible economic cooperation in the region, because it is obvious the Balkan countries can face the challenges of the global market much better when they stand together, the two officials agreed, according to a release from Nikolić's press service.

It in is the interest of all our people to work together and create a product that would be competitive on the global market, Nikolić and Radmanović noted.

Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are bound together by their shared past, present and future, the two pointed out.

"Things need to be built from a solid foundation and it would therefore be very dangerous to change the Dayton Agreement in a way that would reduce the rights of any political entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina," the two officials remarked.

Also in Belgrade on Friday, the president held a separate meeting with high international representative in Bosnia, Valentin Inzko.

Chatzimarkakis Angered Over Angela Merkel Comment



By Sotiria Nikolouli on December 20, 2013

German MEP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, who has Greek origins, was upset with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the summit in Brussels because of her statements that “a Solidarity Fund will lead to a European budget, to achieve convergence.”

MEP Chatzimarkakis noted that Merkel puts next autumn as a time limit for the fund creation in order to have enough time to prepare the German public, so “we will not have important evolutions and decisions up to the elections and this endangers multifaceted losses for Europe.”

Chatzimarkakis stressed that “in the coming months, there should be substantive policies that will contribute to the recovery of Greece, providing jobs.”

He concluded, “German government should not act like a Good Samaritan who helps and finances the whole of Europe because they took advantage of the bad financial situation and implemented an aggressive policy with interest rates, and as a result they had huge profits against countries of the South and now they are just trying to return some of them.”

- See more at: http://eu.greekreporter.com/2013/12/20/chatzimarkakis-angered-over-angela-merkel-comment/#sthash.LqZaJid0.dpuf

Chatzimarkakis Angered Over Angela Merkel Comment

By Sotiria Nikolouli on December 20, 2013 in EU, news, Politics

 0  0

 

 0  New

German MEP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, who has Greek origins, was upset with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the summit in Brussels because of her statements that “a Solidarity Fund will lead to a European budget, to achieve convergence.”
MEP Chatzimarkakis noted that Merkel puts next autumn as a time limit for the fund creation in order to have enough time to prepare the German public, so “we will not have important evolutions and decisions up to the elections and this endangers multifaceted losses for Europe.”
Chatzimarkakis stressed that “in the coming months, there should be substantive policies that will contribute to the recovery of Greece, providing jobs.”
He concluded, “German government should not act like a Good Samaritan who helps and finances the whole of Europe because they took advantage of the bad financial situation and implemented an aggressive policy with interest rates, and as a result they had huge profits against countries of the South and now they are just trying to return some of them.”

- See more at: http://eu.greekreporter.com/2013/12/20/chatzimarkakis-angered-over-angela-merkel-comment/#sthash.LqZaJid0.dpuf

Cameron: Why we didn’t support the status for Albania?

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, explained their hesitation for Albania’s candidacy after the 2-day European summit.

After mentioning the meeting with Prime Minister Rama, Cameron explained that the European Union should take lessons from the recent enlargements and make better rules for the membership transitory rules.

“We are not supporting Albania’s candidate status now. As you remember, there are still some steps that néed to be taken before becoming a member.

I have met the Albanian Prime Minister, and he has made plenty of efforts for the reforms in is country. But I think that further steps are needed before the candidate status is more adequate.

These steps should be used with sincerity, to encourage the country for more measures against corruption, organized crime, for the necessary legal practices and the rule of law.

As I said, this is a chance for the European Union accession process to turn into a good policy and we need to make sure that this will happen in Albania.

We are in favor of the enlargement, but when we see the future, I don’t want to see the mass movements of people as we have seen. We should learn from history.

Enlargement has been a success. The transitory control was a success, but not when it was being used by the countries, and I think that we should go one step further for a stronger transitory control”, Cameron declared.

The transitory period is implemented during seven years that continue with the membership of a country in the European Union. It foresees the access of the workforce in an gradual way, according to the specializations, for the European market.

Berisha: Rama po krijon piramidën

Ex premier Berisha calls for large protests 
Berisha: The Government Rama - Meta, is going to the Greek faliment economic system

 

Albanian opinion, another wave of anger with the West

Refusal of obtaining that status for the European Union, recalled, an indignation against European countries, as happened with the U.S. for chemical weapons

Tirana: A wave of anger has erupted in Albania, following the decision of the European Commission to postpone awarding candidate status for the country for 6 months.

In the epicenter were almost all political spectrum  for which, causes of defeat, not just the Albanian government and the political class including the opposition, but in particular some key countries in the European Union, are targeting as a negative factor to evaluate the achievements of Albania .

Countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain, Denmark and Greece, are mentioned in public opinion among the states that have been declare"enemy" for which according to the Albanian press, Albania called as Islamic country with high corruption.

A month ago, in Tirana, has been made a large demonstrations against the installation of chemical weapons that could be brought from Syria, but in essence, suddenly appeared a strong anti - American sentiment, by the Albanians amientalists..

Cameron Takes Hard Line On Albania And Serbia

David Cameron will warn his European counterparts that steps must be taken to prevent mass immigration from Albania and Serbia if the countries join the EU.

The Prime Minister will say that Britain will only support enlargement alongside much stricter rules on migration - that limit the free movement of labour.
One idea Mr Cameron is keen to explore is requiring countries to reach a certain income level before free movement is allowed, or allowing individual member states to impose a cap on the number of EU migrants entering the countries each year.
Although defence is top of the agenda at this week's European council meeting, the possible accession of Serbia and Albania is likely to be discussed tomorrow.
A Downing Street source said: "He's got 24 hours or so with European leaders and he will be talking about some of the issues on his mind and his priorities. This is about getting the debate going."
The issue is not on the agenda to be discussed in detail at the formal working sessions but the source added: "But if they do discuss countries joining the EU in the future then you can expect the PM to make clear his view and to put markers down."
It comes after the Prime Minister took action to limit the rights of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to the UK from January, when transitional controls on immigration from the two countries are lifted.
One of the changes will mean that migrants can not claim benefits for three months and it will also be easier to deport people if they are found sleeping rough.
Mr Cameron was reacting to fears in Britain about mass immigration from Eastern Europe - particularly ahead of European elections in the spring in which UKIP are expected to perform strongly.
Under pressure from his own backbenches, the Prime Minister recently set out tough arguments on immigration in an article in the FT.
He wrote: "Bringing new countries in to give them peace and prosperity remains one of the EU's greatest strengths.
"It will be many years, perhaps a decade, before another country joins. It cannot be done on the same basis as it was in the past.
"We must put in place new arrangements that will slow full access to each other's labour markets until we can be sure it will not cause vast migrations."
The Prime Minister is hoping to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU ahead of a referendum on membership in 2017 if the Conservatives win the General Election.
:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

Tense the situation in Porto Panormo, Himara

A citizen from Himara, V Rapos, has sold 20 building permits, to the narcotic groups from Lazarati and Tepelena

The Historically Himariot Code, does not allow selling property, to persons who are not resident in Himara Region, but within family

Former socialist MP and former minister of education in Albania, is equipped with planning permission in July this year from Himara Municipality, while the law has prohibited building permits issued on Law 7501

Himara . The situation has deteriorated in recent days Puerto Panormo, a territory that includes the greatest beauties of the Himara Region, as well the Base of the Naval Force, where according to information, around 20 licenses, are in process of construction, which are building a quarter with the new owners (mercenaries) ,  all members of the Albanian Mafia Narkotic of Lazarati and Tepelenë, in Southern Albania.

Permits which are forbidden by the Albanian government, as they are contrary to the law approved, make responsible, the Himara Municipality, after information, establish that the former Socialist MP, former Minister of Education of Albania , E. Rukaj, is equipped with this permit, in July this year .

The only citizen of Himara in this the new Quartier, is former MP from Himara, Nikollaq Neranxi who is fighting for this scandal, all others are not resident from Himara .

The resident citizens owners, V. Rapos and K. Bolanos, from Himara, have benefited from the Albanian Court about 150 ha in Puerto Panormo, but Judges, Prosecutors, Politicians, Police Director, Lawyer, have benefited by sharing this large " cake " , to sell to customers that have been from Lazarati and Tepelena, as the famous places of cultivation of marijuana in Albania .

Greece and Albania willing to agree on maritime border

18/12/2013

Signing a border demarcation agreement is in the interest of both countries and peoples, officials said.

By Erl Murati for Southeast European Times in Tirana -- 18/12/13

Albania Foreign Affairs Minister Ditmir Bushati (right) greets Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos in Tirana. [Albania Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Albania and Greece are signalling their intention to demarcate their Ionian Sea maritime border in a way acceptable to both countries, following the rejection by Albania's Constitutional Court of the demarcation agreement signed in 2009 by the countries' foreign ministers.
Albania's Socialist-led government, which had opposed the agreement when it was an opposition party, said it wants to move Albania ahead on the path of EU integration, and is aware it must find a common language with Greece.
"We want to address all issues with courage based on the legislations of the respective countries, the established principles of international law and best practices. Our aim is the EU," Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said.
Greek officials said they are willing to review the technical issues on the level of technical committees, and see two options ahead.
"The option of international law and European practice, and then there is the option of challenging international law and European practice. Albania says that it is a country ready to accede to the EU. We support Albania's European prospects. We want to provide know-how and assistance, but there are certain self-evident preconditions," said Evangelos Venizelos, foreign minister of Greece.
The process to find an acceptable solution was prompted by Venizelos' visit to Tirana in mid-October when he met Bushati, Prime Minister Edi Rama and President Bujar Nishani.
Greece President Karolos Papoulias soon followed suit and visited Tirana last month to discuss the issue with Nishani.
"Our side is ready to find a common solution with the Greeks in accordance with international rights and internal legislation of each of our countries," Nishani said after the meeting.
Experts said an agreement is in the interest of both countries and peoples and needs to be re-negotiated from scratch at any cost.

"The new agreement should be reached with the consent of both sides and prior to being signed and approved by parliament, the secretariat on the UN conventions on the sea should be consulted," Qazim Tepshi, former Albanian ambassador to Greece, told SETimes.
But some experts also cautioned the agreement should not be rushed despite the obvious benefits of improving bi-lateral relations and regional stability.
"The agreement requires time and multi-faceted expertise, and even international understanding. In order for this issue to benefit all sides, i.e., other countries of the Ionian and Mediterranean area, consultation with Italy, Turkey and the US is also necessary," Lisen Bashkurti, director of the Diplomatic Academy in Tirana, told SETimes.
What should Albania and Greece do to demarcate the maritime border to the satisfaction of both sides? Share your opinion in the comments space.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

Mberrin ne Shqiperi helikopteri COUGAR 3. Tema TV. 18 dhjetor 2013

Albania takes from France the third "Sougar" Hepicopter for the Army

Shteti ligjor në Ballkan

Fight political corruption in Albania
 
  The fight against corruption must begin with the confiscation of all property and assets that politicians have amassed illegal in Albania
 
VOA


Balkan experts in Washington say that the fight against corruption must begin with the confiscation of all property and assets that politicians have amassed illegal, which they can not justify as set through regular income.

"Voice of America" attended a discussion held at the Foundation "Heritage" on law enforcement in Eastern Europe and talked to some experts. Among the participants in the discussion was the former Attorney General of the United States, Edwin Meese.

US Embassy Tirana calls for sevurity meassures in Albania

Holiday Season Safety

December 16, 2013

As we enter the holiday season, the U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens that crime tends to spike during this time of the year in many parts of the world.  Crimes such as robberies, thefts, and burglaries often increase dramatically as many people carry cash or gifts while shopping.  Also, larger than normal crowds in shopping areas are prime targets for pick-pockets.  If possible, avoid carrying large amounts of cash, do not leave gifts in unattended vehicles, and properly secure your residence at all times.
Although not as prevalent as in years passed, U.S. citizens should be aware that celebratory gunfire may occur in more rural areas of Albania, particularly at midnight on December 31, to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.  Unfortunately, serious injuries and deaths can occur as a result of stray bullets.  U.S. citizens should exercise caution if planning to travel outside of Tirana on New Year’s Eve.  It is also recommended that fireworks be viewed from a safe distance (preferably from an indoor venue).
Lastly, the holidays bring a marked increase in the number of automobile accidents involving alcohol. Use caution when driving late at night and respect local driving laws and regulations.  News reports indicate that the Albanian State Police (ASP) will be strongly enforcing the prohibition against driving under the influence this holiday season and may set-up sobriety checkpoints.
U.S. citizens should monitor the local news and Albanian government announcements regarding similar issues.  We encourage U.S. citizens to practice good personal security measures.  Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Albania enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.  If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy.
Regularly monitor the State Department's website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution.  Read the Country Specific Information for Albania.  For additional information, refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad.”
Contact the U.S. embassy for up-to-date information on travel restrictions.  You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  You can also download our free Smart Traveler app, available through the iTunes store and the Google Play store, for travel information at your fingertips.
The U.S. Embassy in Tirana is located at Rruga Elbasanit, Nr. 103 in Tirana, Albania, and is open to the public by appointment on Monday through Thursday from 13:15 to 15:15.  You can schedule a non-emergency appointment by visiting our American Citizens Services website.  If you are a U.S. citizen in need of urgent assistance, the emergency number for the U.S. Embassy in Tirana is +355-(0)4-224-7285.

EU calls for joint efforts to increase control on combatants returning from Syria

13/12/2013

Balkan states are strengthening security measures and adopting new sanctions to control the movement of their citizens fighting in Syria.

By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times in Pristina -- 13/12/13

Authorities and experts in the region are concerned about the increased number of Balkan volunteers fighting on the side of the rebels in Syria. [AFP]

The European Union is growing increasingly concerned about Islamic extremists from the region who joined the fighting in Syria and are now returning home, bringing a more radicalised and dangerous element into Europe.
"The phenomenon is particularly worrying," French Interior Minister Manuel Valls told The Associated Press.
The office of the EU Counter-Terrorism Co-ordinator Gilles de Kerchove delivered a note to the EU ministers last week, asking for "better use of airline passenger information available to security officials to keep track of when and how rebels move to Syria" and a series of other measures including a "crackdown legally on recruitment networks," co-operation with third countries including Turkey and monitoring of internet activities.
The EU ministers have agreed on the need for "a more integrated approach on information exchange, as well as the detection and pursuit of jihadist movements" and appealed for a "rapid adoption of a new European strategy to fight radicalism."
The union sees the situation as a major security threat.
"They are not some romantic freedom fighters," Britain's counter-terrorism chief Helen Ball said.
About 2,000 fighters from Europe are believed to be fighting in Syria with the rebel forces, an increase since the spring, when estimates placed the number at 600 to 800. About 500 fighters from Balkan countries, "highlighting the contribution from small nations like Bosnia and Kosovo," are believed to be involved, according to the EU official quoted by the AP.
The official noted that there were "80 to 100" fighters from Kosovo. Speaking to SETimes, Kosovo police confirmed that some Kosovo citizens are involved in the fighting in Syria, but officials said this number is "small."
On December 4th, Kosovo media reported that police at Pristina's airport detained a Kosovo Albanian fighter returning from Syria, who arrived from Turkey. Kosovo police have not confirmed or denied the detention. Specialists are analysing possible risks to the security of the country, closely co-operating with the prosecutor's office for the further steps.
"There is information for some returns," Kosovo police said in a statement for SETimes. "The fact that some people from Kosovo have been involved in the fighting in Syria represents concern that danger might increase because these volunteers can bring back to Kosovo as well these elements or this spirit."
However, Kosovo police assessed that the state does not presently face a high-level danger of terrorism, although "Kosovo is not immune [to it], as any other state."
Kosovo legislation has no sanctions for citizens who are involved in armed conflicts outside the country, however, as Seb Bytyci, executive director of the Balkan Policy Institute in Pristina noted, some states have considered arresting those who have gone to fight in Syria.
"Something like that can be done … or a new law can be drafted," Bytyci told SETimes.
On December 5th, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) approved amendments to its criminal code that prohibit the departure of BiH citizens to foreign battlefields. The amendment proposed by Minister of Security Fahrudin Radoncic, foresees prison sentences for all those who organise, recruit, promote or directly participate in armed conflicts outside BiH.
According to BiH's Secret Service Agency, about 350 BiH citizens are currently fighting in Syria.
According to the amendment, those who recruit fighters and organise their movement from BiH to foreign battlefields will receive the highest punishment -- 10 years in prison, while the fighters themselves can get a minimum three years in prison after they come back to the country.
"I fully support this amendment," Mehmed Bradaric, a member of BiH's Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Security told SETimes. "Those people represent danger for their families first of all and then danger for the entire society. There are law enforcements in BiH which will bring those people to justice. We shouldn't deal with this from next month, like in all other things, but right now, today."
Authorities in the neighbouring Serbia are also proposing legal measures to sanction their citizens fighting in Syria. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic advocated the idea of criminalising both the fighter recruiting process, as well as organisation of their departure to Syria.
"Five-year prison sentences should be sanctioned for the organisers and three-year sentences to those who go," Ljajic told SETimes.
"We have to anticipate the returns [of fighters from Syria], the ways to handle this, the prevention measures and especially the exchange of information on the travels," Belgian Interior Minister Joelle Milquet told the

AP.
EU interior ministers are looking to co-operate closer with Syria's neighbour Turkey to assist "in improving controls at borders and airports" and to do more "to help in preventing radicalisation of individuals, especially in refugee camps."

The Turkish daily Radikal has reported that hundreds of Turkish youths have fought in Syria, both for extremist opposition factions including al-Qaeda and the regime. They are typically young men, many of them from the provinces of Adiyaman, Bingol, Batman, and Diyarbakir.
Human Rights Watch has called upon Turkey to step up patrols to prevent cross-border movement by armed groups.

"Given that most foreign fighters in these [extremist] groups reportedly gain access to Syria via Turkey, from which they also smuggle their weapons, obtain money and other supplies, and retreat to for medical treatment, Turkey should increase border patrols, restrict entry of fighters and arm flows to groups credibly found to be implicated in systematic human rights violations," the monitoring group said in a recent report.
Turkish officials, who have opposed the Syrian regime, have strongly objected to any suggestion that they have co-operated with extremist groups entering Syria. Turkey hosts more than 600,000 Syrian refugees, including more than 200,000 located in refugee camps.
"We have constantly asserted this -- myself, our distinguished prime minister, and our responsible institutions. Turkey has no relationship with any radical group in Syria, especially al-Nusra," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said recently. "This is dirty propaganda advanced by those who want to overshadow Turkey's humanitarian policies."

Analysts in the region agree that EU member countries have legitimate concerns about the many volunteers from Europe and the Balkan countries who fight on the side of the rebels.
"The so-called rebels are closely connected, that is, in coalition with many terroristic groups, primarily Al-Qaeda," Vladimir Pivovarov, professor at Skopje FON University told SETimes. "Their motives to leave to Syria are different. However, even if they are not members of some terroristic group, there they will easily be co-opted in the same. This means the easiest opportunity for the terroristic organisations to enforce the network on European ground."

Abit Hoxha, Kosovo senior security researcher of the Centre for Security Studies, agreed.
"I believe the EU concern is right as the people involved in any conflict are a challenge for the system in situations after the end of the conflict," Hoxha told SETimes.
Hoxha said social, economic and education assistance and the establishment of better partnerships with religious communities could help to control the export of violence from Syria to the EU.
Experts said that all countries in the region should sanction such inclusion in foreign military clashes, pursuant to the criminal laws where participation in foreign militaries and military actions is prohibited.

"Preventively, the intelligence services should establish close co-operation and exchange of intelligence information in order to prevent the future candidates from leaving to Syria, and for the ones who have left, they should undertake operational control measures for the same, because the same are already a problem in their own yard," Pivovarov said.
Bytyci said it would be helpful to run a public awareness campaign to inform people about the Syria conflict and the role of the foreign fighters.
Correspondents Drazen Remikovic in Sarajevo, Bojana Milovanovic in Belgrade and Marina Stojanovska in Skopje contributed to this report.
What are the most effective measures the region should take to prevent the flow of local citizens to Syria and to control the activity of fighters who return to their home countries? Share your thoughts in comments section.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

TAP agreement signed

The Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama,  signed today in Baku, Azerbaijan, the final agreement for the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project.

According to the Azeri news agency, “Trend”, the Albanian Prime Minister considered TAP an opportunity to develop the markets in Albania and to spread the gas network in the entire region.

“TAP is a huge project that will take extraordinary proportions when it will give new opportunities for our joint projects between Albania, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro for promoting IAP, which will spread gas in new markets. For Albania, TAP is not just a series of opportunities, but it also brings a series of obligations. Our government will present the necessary humana nd material capacities, and also the legal base for guaranteeing success with this project. We will see TAP not only as a different chance for developing the success of this project, but also as a different opportunity for developing the markets in Albania. We want to be promotors of the gas network for several countries in the region which don’t have the necessary infrastructure for these markets”, Rama declared.

After signing this agreement, the TAP shareholders announced the start of a new phase, the construction of the pipeline on terrain. SOCAR, Statoil, BP, Fluxys, Total, EON and Axpo approved the decision that gives way to the implementation of the project, starting from 2014.

The management director of TAP, Kjetil Tungland, declared that now they are aiming to build a pipe system within the deadlines and budget limits. He says that TAP and Shah Deniz will guarantee diversity and safety in Europe’s gas supply, and that it will reinforce the strategic significance of these countries.

Azerbaijan announced the selection of TAP project by June 2014. The 870 km long system will be connected with the TANAP pipeline close to the Greek-Turkish border, in Kipoi, and will go through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Southern Italy. The Minister of Energy says that the first phase of construction in the Albanian side will start with the roads, in June 2014.

Two Brown Bears Shot Dead Near Greek-Albanian Borders

By Nikoleta Kalmouki on December 17, 2013

Photograph of the two bears, released by Arcturos

On Tuesday, animal rights activists found a female brown bear and her cub shot, in a wooded area in Kastoria near the Greek-Albanian border.
Arcturos the northern Greece-based bear conservation group, was informed by police after the discovery of the dead female bear and her cub bore gunshot wounds. The authorities believe that the 150-kilogram female bear was shot several times in the snout on a nearby road, and that her body was then dragged into the woods. The 40-kilo cub also had gunshot wounds to its body.
According to Arcturos, the two bears were shot in an isolated area that has no residences or livestock farms nearby. The two bears were found dead in each other’s embrace. It is thought that the mother bear, who suffered the most serious injuries, was shot and killed first and that the cub, injured by gunfire, after wandering, returned near its mother waiting for her to wake up and then died next to her.
“This is the first time in Arcturos’s 21 years of operation that we have seen such a heinous case of murder of a mother and baby bear,” the animal conservation group stated. “Other than its environmental dimension, this case also surpasses all moral boundaries.”
The population of brown bears in Greece is estimated at 350-400.  The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is  protected under Greek law as an endangered species. Its killing can lead to imprisonment.

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2013/12/17/two-brown-bears-shot-dead-near-greek-albanian-borders/