THE CHALLENGES OF THE ENERGY RELATED DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
Michaletos Ioannis (RIEAS Junior Analyst, Coordinator for the World Security Network Foundation Southeast Office Europe)
Copyright: http://www.rieas.gr/
In the 90’s the term Balkans was characterized by the international press as the region inflicted by a series of civil wars, embargoes, and ethnic hatred. In the 00’s the energy factor started to dominate the peripheral political scene and nowadays it seems that the energy game is moving to its completion; finding Russia empowered and eager to exploit its newly found accesses in the Western markets via Greece, Bulgaria and Italy.
A few days ago another grand deal (1) was signed between Athens, Sofia, Rome and Moscow, relating to the creation of a massive pipeline transferring natural gas from the Burgas port to Northern Greece and up to Southern Italy, named “South Stream” (2). The pipeline will have a total length of some 3,200 km and it will be pumped with some 30 billion cubic meters of gas each year from the Russian reservoirs.
Moreover the total cost will exceed 10 billion USD and it is interesting to note that it will affect negatively Turkey and Iran. The first country will be affected because the proposed pipelines will by-pass its territory, thus degrading to an extent its role in the regional energy politics. Teheran will also suffer from a partial exclusion from the European market that will be taped for the time being by Russia.
The pipeline will traverse sub-water the Black Sea and end in Burgas port in Bulgaria. Afterwards it will split most probably in two parts; one heading towards Southern Austria or Northern Italy and the other one passing through Greece and terminating in the Otrando port in Southern Italy, just opposite the island of Corfu. This massive project will be commenced in late 2009 and will be financed by the Italian ENI Corporation (3) and the Russian energy giant, Gazprom (4).
The big winner from this new deal can be said to be Greece and the current Administration that under the Prime Minister Karamanlis, has emerged as a local ingenious player (5), especially after masterminding the other important oil pipeline, the Burgas-Alexandroupoli (6) and the natural gas pipeline from Turkey- ending in Italy that concludes Greece’s role as an important energy hub (7).
The announcement of this particular energy project was held in Istanbul in light of the intergovernmental conference of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (8) where the Greek Prime Minister met Turkey’s Erdogan and held talks of bilateral interest. Of course the development was viewed negatively by Ankara that views a considerable stall in its plans of acquiring a great share of the energy exports from East to West. The Turkish President Ahmet Sezer stated for the potential environmental challenge that the Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline is; in parallel with a decision by the Supreme Court of Turkey to question in legal terms the Ecumenical dimension of the Orthodox Patriarchy in Istanbul (9). Despite the fact that no one can correlate these two events, suspicion has been raised in Greece for an indirect way of exerting pressure to Athens due to its initiatives in the energy sector.
On the other hand the American Administration seems displeased by the whole development, especially since Athens hasn’t consulted State Department’s Nicholas Burns, on his recent visit to the Greek capital last month (10). Washington is eager to secure the interests and economic feasibility of the Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline that will transfer Azeri gas and of course resents any further advancement of the Russian exporters that have steadily gathered financial and political clout in Southeastern Europe and Germany over the past few years.
The culminations that resulted in the latest deal concerned a multiparty diplomatic negotiation table with Athens in the center. According to the leading Greek newspaper “To Vima” (11), it took almost half a year of continuous talks between Greeks, Italians and Russians before an agreement was reached. The most important part was the secrecy that characterized the negotiations, and it seems that there was a surprise for the parties excluded from the project.
The changing strategic landscape of the Balkans is centered on the energy developments, which in their turn affect either positively or negatively the domestic politics. Already Greece is experiencing a circulation of rumors relating to the opposition of Turkey in the new geo-economic environment and a recent fire in a natural reserve near Athens (12) apparently due to arson (13); is being blamed in the conflicting regional interests that are adamant in the change of balance of powers that it is occurring nowadays. Further, “To Vima” newspaper revealed in a recent article the possibility of “Political reprisals” against Karamanli’s Administration as the country is heading towards general elections and the incumbent government is trying to muster domestic support amid a multitude of interests often influenced by factors originating from abroad. A recent clue of the sensitivity the initiatives of the Greek government can have was the attack (14) a few days ago against the Minister of Culture, Mr. Voulgarakis, in central Athens on his way to sign an important cultural agreement between representatives of Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Russia (15). Under the terms of this accord, the four countries will take steps in securing the influence of the Christian Orthodox in the United Europe. In this case a group of unknown individuals attacked the entourage of the Minister in a classic “Hit & run” operation of the low-intensity urban warfare that is increasing alarmingly in the Greek capital (16).
In general the Balkan region promises yet a few world headlines, either in the political or economic field. The importance of the region is vast in comparison with its population, due to its use as a hub for the energy needs of the West and the Russian ambitions. Moreover the proximity to the Middle East and North Africa, reserve a truly unique placement for the Balkans in the strategic considerations of the global power-architecture cores in London, Washington, Moscow, Paris, Berlin and Beijing increasingly. The coming months will reveal more of the intrigues involved, and most importantly the winners and the losers of the “Energy game” of the 21st century.
Notes:
(1) http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/26/business/EU-FIN-Turkey-Greece-Pipeline.php An article of the International Herald Tribune on the signing of the natural gas pipeline between Italy, Greece, Bulgaria & Russia
(2) http://www.jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2372249 A report by the Eurasian Daily Monitor service of the Jamestown Foundation, around the South Stream energy project
(3) http://www.eni.it/home/home_en.html The official website of the ENI Corporation
(4) http://www.gazprom.com/ The official website of the Gasprom Corporation
(5)http://www.ana-mpa.gr/anaweb/user/selectlang?lang=el&currpageurl=/user/showplain?maindoc=5465480&maindocimg=5465367&service=6 News brief by the Athens News Agency on the Greek initiatives in the energy sector
(6) http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070315/62034346.html A report by the RIA Novosti news service on the signing of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline between Greece, Bulgaria & Russia
(7) http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1170255628.77/ An article by the EU Business news service on the Turkish-Greek-Italian natural gas pipeline
(8) http://www.bsec-organization.org/main.aspx?ID=About_BSEC The official website of the BSEC
(9) http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/26/europe/EU-REL-Turkey-Orthodox.php An article by the International Herald Tribune on the decision by the Turkish court on the Ecumenical Patriarchate
(10) http://athens.usembassy.gov/relations/BurnsMarshall.htm Press release of the USA Embassy in Athens of the speech by Nicholas Burns for the 60-year anniversary of the Marshall plan
(11) http://tovima.dolnet.gr/print_article.php?e=B&f=15100&m=A14&aa=1
An article by the Vima newspaper on the possibility of political reprisals against the Greek government due to its initiatives in the energy sector
(12)http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/news/world/20070629-greece-fires-all-night-approach-athens-heat-wave.html Correspondence of the France Agency around the fire in the Parnitha natural reserve near Athens-Greece
(13) http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7089 An article by the Greek News Online service assuming possibility of arson. It has to be noted that various sources indicate towards arson, especially through TV & radio broadcasts in Greece.
(14) http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100011_04/07/2007_85261 Article by the Kathimerini newspaper around the attack against the Minister of Culture in Athens
(15) http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100017_04/07/2007_85258 Article by the Kathimerini newspaper, relating to the agreement signed by the Ministers from Orthodox countries in Athens.
(16) http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/22/europe/EU-GEN-Greeces-Mean-Streets.php Article by the International Herald Tribune on the increase of urban –warfare style attacks in Athens. It has to be noted that this article was published in late January and since then the attacks have multiplied.

12.07.2007 10:58:15
U.S., France, U.K. draft new resolution on Kosovo
( RIA Novosti ) - The United States, France, and Britain have drafted a new resolution on Kosovo, which does not automatically grant the Serbian province independence after 120 days of multilateral negotiations, UN sources said.
The issue of granting automatic independence for the region dominated by ethnic Albanians has been a bone of contention between Russia, a Serbian ally, and the other four members in the UN Security Council. The new resolution gives mediators four months to try and find a solution.
UN missions are already discussing another, third draft resolution, which has yet to be submitted to the UN Security Council.
Kosovars, who have been under the UN protectorate since NATO's 78-day bombings, are seeking independence from Serbia warning that they may have to take the situation into their own hands if no decision is made soon.

THE LAST BATTLE OF THE ALBANIAN NATIONALISM AGAINST THE ORTHODOX ARCHBISHOP ANASTASIOS JANULATOS
Stavros Markos (Journalist, Member of the World Security Network Foundation -Southeast Europe Office)
Ioannis Michaletos(RIEAS Junior Analyst and Coordinator of the World Security Network Foundation – Southeast Europe Office)
Copyright: Stavros Markos on line (www.rieas.gr)
In January 1991, the Patriarchate of Constantinople appointed the then Bishop Anastasios to enter Albania as the “Patriarchal Exarches" with the mandate to unite the Albanian Orthodox people irrespectively of their ethnic origin and re- establish the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The Orthodox Church in Albania had been decimated after forty years of the most severe persecution. Before the overthrow of the Communist yoke, the numbers of the Orthodox clergy had diminished from 440 in the 1940’s to just 22 in 1990. Once again, the opportunity to revive a Church that was tittering on the brink of collapse was confronted by the Bishop Anastasios.
But the Albanian nationalism including a large number of Albanian parliamentarians, in 1992, wanted to have under their control the activity of the Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, claiming to the Albanian people (Muslims in general in their faith) slogans, such as, “His Beatitude Janulatos must leave Albania, because he is a Greek citizen and not an Albanian one”. This particular protest was heard loudly even inside the Orthodox Church of Tirana, during the religious ceremony of Archbishop Janullatos 16 years ago, and constituted a precursor of what was about to follow thereafter.
In 1994, the President of Albania Sali Berisha urged the Albanian people to vote a referendum for the New Constitution of the Country. Along the new draft, there was the request of an article of the constitution that obliged the Archbishop of Albania to become an Albanian citizen. Finally, the result of the referendum was a definite NO, and Berisha’s government had to postpone its plans at for the time being.
After the collapse of the Pyramidal Schemes and the Civil War that erupted in 1997, Albania proceeded for the second time to a popular referendum for Constitution, under the strong observation of the International Community organizations, OSCE and EU. The aftermath of it found Albania obliged to respect the religion’s independence and to adhere to the Laic State structures, meaning that the religions must be separated from the state and its administrative control.
During this period until now, the activity of Orthodox Church particularly of the Archbishop Janulatos, is confronted periodically by a multitude of incidents from Albanian nationalistic circles both from Diaspora (not of Orthodox religion), placing as a priority to the national strategy and demagogy of “Greater Albania” an ultimatum to Archbishop Janullatos that according to them “must leave Albania and resign from the Orthodox Church of Albania”. Albanian press often rallies against Archbishop Janullatos and continues its demagogues with apostrophes such as: “It is negative to have as a head of the Albanian orthodoxy a Greek citizen, who serves the Greek nationalistic strategy of Northern Epirus, converting the Albanian orthodoxy to Hellenic orthodoxy, and has nominated three high clerics from Greek origin in the general council of Albanian Orthodox church”.
In simple terms the Albanian media in most respects wants to divide the Orthodox faithful of the country that number some 20%, and turn the Albanians against the Greeks. For the time being hundreds of Byzantine churches in Northern Epirus (Southern Albania) has been violated from vandals and bandits, whilst 20% of the population is Christian Orthodox and feels distressed by the incidents and the state’s tolerance to that.
The Orthodox church of Albania has large land Superficies and proprieties particularly in the southern Albania territory, but until now the Albanian authorities, refuses to formally acknowledge it. Incidents with the local administrations and the Albanian tribunals has been often supported from the Albanian Service Secret against the Orthodox community and Church, as it has been reported from the Freedom House and Religious State Department Reports Human Rights of the World from 2003 until the last report.
Meanwhile in 2005, Archbishop Janullatos, was elected as the President of Churches World Council, which is a precedent to get to know the Albanian state across the world, while the Albanian nationalism raises the voice again against his eminence and in particular organizations active in the Albanian Diaspora in the USA. The AANC (Albanian American National Council) states that Archbishop Anastas Janulatos is a “person Non Grata” and he must leave the Albanian territory as soon as possible, because “he is forming the Hellenisation of southern Albania”.
Albania press continues to publish propaganda against the Orthodox Church, and even churches and monasteries particularly of Byzantine period, have been attacked and violated by Albanian criminals groups. At this point it is interesting to note that all of these attacks has not been reported in the Greek press, despite the fact that they are internationally know nowadays due to relevant internet publications either in English or in Greek.
On 10 June 2007, the Albanian authority, on occasion of the historic visit of the US President George Bush in Tirana, the name of Archbishop Janulatos was replaced by another person “Uncounted for by the Orthodox Church” while the heads of all religious denominations arranged a visit with the President. In simple words the Albanian government sabotaged a meeting of Anastasios with the American President in order to downgrade his status in the Albanian society.
This scandal was a clear cut provocation against the orthodox community of Albania, but was deviated and changed by the status protocol of President Bush from his staff during his visit in Albania. The absolutely silence of Albanian press about this scandal, conducted personally by the Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and other national personalities reveals a strategic plan of the whole Albanian nationalism, to create a large front against Archbishop Janulatos and the Orthodox Church of Albania, which begins from the Albanian Diaspora and ends to the domestic Albanian politics in Tirana, including the government and the opposition.
This is the reason why the Albanian authorities do not give the Albanian citizenship to Archbishop of Albania Anastasios Janulatos, despite the fact that he is extremely popular not only from the orthodox of Albania and particularly from Greeks who live in Albania; but also from orthodox followers around the world. There has never been a decision described as “good faith” one from the Albanian authorities to honor the benefice of Archbishop Anastas Janulatos, whilst at the time; the Albanian nationalism is preparing the last battle against his eminence and orthodoxy.
The Association “Chameria” a Muslim community which habituates in Albania, escaped from Northern Greece in 1944 as “collaborationist with axes fascist forces” has demonstrated near the Greek borders in Southern Albania, demanding and protesting to Athens for their “home land rights” lost in Greece. Organized under the political background of the whole Albanian nationalist spectrum including the government, the representatives of the demonstration pressed the Archbishop Janullatos “to hold a special High Mass to honor the chams victim from Greek genocide of 1944”, but the response of Orthodox Synod Church was against: ‘We make High Mass for every soldier who died for the honor of his country and not under the recommendation from other religions communities”. Despite the fact that this incident might be classified as a ridicule one, it also provides a broad picture on the difficulties laying ahead not just for the Greek minority in Albania but also for potential perils involving the Greek state over the coming years.
Even though, the Albanian nationalism is raising in infinitum the battle against the spiritual leader of the Albanian orthodox community announcing as a victory of “greater Albania”, the end of the influence of Archbishop Anastas Janullatos to the Albanian orthodox mission. An aggravation of the situation between religions has begun in Albania and the Greek Ethnic Minority organization of Albania, known as “Omonia” calls to the Albanian government to have under observation any efforts of “Chameria`s Association” and its paramilitary instrument: “We are very disturbed about ulterior developments of Chameria Community protest to Greek Borders, considering as a provocation of the Albanian irredentism against our mother country, Greece, which compost a precedent to romp the existence of many communities which live in harmony in Southern Albania” said in the press statement the representative of “Omonia”.
A few days ago, in a village of the Greek ethnic community in the Argirocastro Region; stamped slogans under the name of UCC have appeared, and this is considered from the Greek population as a new provocation against the Greek minority. On April 2007, a paramilitary ethnic nationalist group known as UCC has claimed on a video their military actions and objectives against the Greek State in the Epirus Region. According to Research Terrorism Center in Washington, UCC is a known terrorist group with its first military action in Himara Region (Southern Albanian, Greek population) on 2003, killing a person, while in Northern Greece there has been an explosion in an electric station which links Italy and Greece in Egoumenitsa. The combination of Albanian nationalistic plans for a Greater Albania along with the abundance of smuggled weaponry and paramilitary personnel is an alarming indicator for the security forces of the region and in particular Greece’s in order to avoid any potential crisis.

http://rieas.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=289&Itemid=66

"The Greater Albanian Symbol"

Highway set to bring Albania and Kosovo closer
Reuters - Analysis - Tirana

Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:36AM EDT

By Benet Koleka

KUKES, Albania (Reuters) - The shortest route from Kosovo to Albania's sparkling Adriatic coast makes a big dog-leg through the long, deep glens of neighboring Macedonia.The direct route from Serbia's breakaway province is a 234- km (145-mile) drive of seven hours over mountains 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level.

At 35 kph (20 mph), it takes travelers through a seemingly endless coil of dizzying hairpin bends."Traveling on that road has been a real trip through hell for me," says Rexhep Shahu, a poet who often makes the journey to his home town Kukes, near the Kosovo border.

"It is a symbol of impossibility."

That will all change in 2009 when a new highway links Kosovo to Albania. But it is a controversial project that some critics believe has more to do with dreams of a "Greater Albania" than the economic benefits touted by its backers.

Ethnic Albanians make up 90 percent of Kosovo's 2 million population.Since the end of the 1998-99 Kosovo conflict, hundreds of thousands of them have braved the old mountain road to get to Albania's beaches, bringing in some 350 million tourist euros ($470 million) every year.

Many plied the tortuous route this month to witness the Albania visit of U.S. President George W. Bush, whose country led the NATO intervention in 1999 to expel Serb troops from Kosovo and end the killing of Kosovo Albanian civilians.Bush was cheered for pledging that Kosovo Albanians will get their independence "sooner rather than later", despite Russia's strong backing for Serbia, which adamantly opposes it.

When Bush meets Russia's President Vladimir Putin at his family's Maine coast estate in the United States this weekend, the two leaders may reach agreement on Kosovo, or they may not.No one is betting, but Albania has already set to work on the new road -- a 180-km four-lane highway that will cut travel time between the two sister nations to two and a half hours or less.

DEVELOPMENT OR SYMBOLISM?

"The road goes through the poorest region of Europe and it will definitely revive it," Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha says of the 600 million euro highway, Albania's biggest infrastructure project to date."It will bring new life to the port of Durres and give access to the sea to Kosovo, Macedonia and southern Serbia."But others say the project is really a step towards the nationalist dream of a "Greater Albania" that would unite all ethnic Albanians in the region in defiance of the West.

As a result of the controversy, potential donors have stayed away. Albania is financing the road on its own from commercial loans, which critics say it cannot afford."Donors saw it more as a political than an economic project," said Pandeli Majko, a former Socialist prime minister in Albania who started pushing for the project in the late 1990s.But he believes the road would "crystallize a year-round tourism industry and double the size of the Albanian market", while allowing both communities to rationalize agriculture.

"Kosovo will probably start planting wheat while Albania deals with livestock and vegetable-growing," Majko said.Analyst Mentor Nazarko said money would be better spent on a project such as European Corridor Eight, crossing Albania and Macedonia, or on domestic and regional roads.But Majko and Berisha wanted "a place in history", he said."The political dimension of this project looks bigger than the economic dimension," said Nazarko. "Spending 600 million euros is a rather pharaonic project for Albania right now."Regardless of cost worries, construction is moving along. Albania contracted the U.S.-Turkish Bechtel-Enka group to build a two-bore tunnel, Albania's first, along the most difficult section, and bulldozers are at work daily near Kukes.

"I would have worked for free just to see this road unite our people," said Nasuf Bimbashi, a Kosovo contractor.Still trying to repair the wounds of the decade of war triggered by the break-up of Yugoslavia, the West opposes any "Greater Albania" ambitions, just as it opposes any dreams of a mono-ethnic "Greater Serbia" or "Greater Croatia".

The pro-Western leaders of Kosovo and Albania have dismissed any such plan. But for some, the road alone will do the trick."We need not talk too much about a union," said Kosovo truck driver Refki Morina. "The road itself effectively unites us. When the Berlin Wall fell, they didn't need to do anything else. Here, we simply have to build a highway."

(Additional reporting by Shaban Buza in Pristina)

Our comment.....

But, the correspondent of Reuters in Tirana, does not say why tow Greek Banks "Alpha Bank" and "NGB" honored 250 million euro to Albanian Government for this highway, helping directly Prime Minister Sali Berisha, while the public investment particularly in Southern Albania are in minimum rates? Why the government has blocked some highway investments in southern Albania such are Tepelene - Levan, Lushnje - Vlora and Vlora Saranda? The paradoxes continues at a critically moment when Albanian and Kosovo Mafia are investing to buy lands and proprieties to Albanian southern coast line, "taking the rights to be favoring " from government to built tourist villages during Ionian Coast Line, over the lands of Greek old proprietress origin. Anyway, for the Greater Albania, all together the Albanians are working without nothing other to.......

The last Battle of Albanian Nationalism against Orthodox Archbishop Janullatos

Photo: His Beatitude AnastasiosArchbishop of Tirana, Durrësand All Albania

By Stavros Markos*

In January 1991, the Patriarchate of Constantinople elected Anastasios to go to Albania as "Patriarchal Exarch" with the mandate to contact Orthodox people irrespective of their ethnic origin and re- establish the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The Orthodox Church in Albania had been decimated after forty years of the most severe persecution. Before the country had finally overthrown its yoke of communism, the number of Orthodox clergy had diminished from 440 in the 1940’s to 22 in 1990. Once again, the opportunity to revive a Church on the brink of collapse confronted Bishop Anastasios.

But the Albanian nationalism including a number of Albanian parliament member, in 1992, wanted to have under control the activity of Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, claiming to Albanian people (Musulman religion in general) the slogans “His beatitude Janulatos, must leave Albania, because he is Greek citizen no Albanian”. The protest often has been inside of Orthodox Curch of Tirana, during the religious ceremony of Archbishop Janullatos.

In 1994, the President of Albania Sali Berisha urges the Albanian people to go in referendum for the New Constitution of the Country. Inside of new draft, was the request of an article of constitution, to obligate the Archbishop of Albania to be Albanian citizen. Finally, the resultant of popular referendum has been NO, time when the Pressident Berisha perturbs his glorious figure.

After the collapse of Pyramidal Schemes and Civil War in 1997, in 1998 Albania goes for the second time to popular referendum for Constitution, under strong observation of International Community organizations, OSCE and EU. The religions communities must are independents and Albania must to be a Laic State, also the religions must be separated from the state and it administrates control.

During this period until now, the activity of Orthodox Church particularly to Archbishop Janulatos, is confronted periodically to multi dimensional incidents from Albanian nationalism both from Diaspora (not orthodox religion), putting goal as priority to national strategy and demagogy of “Greater Albania” an ultimatum to Archbishop Janullatos who “must leave Albania from Orthodox Church of Albania”. Albanian press often dedicated against archbishop Janullatos continues to make a lot of demagogy as negative impact to have in head of Albanian orthodoxy a Greek citizen, who serves to Greek nationalism strategy of Northern Epirus, converting the Albanian orthodoxy to Hellenic orthodoxy nominated three high cleric from Greek origin of general council of Albanian Orthodox church.

Anyway, the orthodoxies of Albania, must part from Greek ethnic minority, are about 25 - 30% of total population of Albania are very disturbed about escalation of religion conflict in Albania. Hundred of Byzantine churches in Northern Epirus (Southern Albania) have been violated from vandals and persons, often not catched from authorities.

The Orthodox church of Albania has the large land superficies and proprieties particularly in southern Albania territory, but until now the Albanian authority, refuse to known they. Incidents with local authority and Albanian tribunals have been often supporter from Albanian Service Secret against orthodox community and church, reported from Freedom House and Religious State Department Reports Human Rights of the World from 2003 until last report.

Meanwhile in 2005, Archbishop Janullatos, was elected as President of Churches World Council, which composts a precedent to known the Albanian state on the world, when Albanian nationalism raised the voice again against his eminence Janulatos particularly from Diaspora. The AANC (Albanian American National Council) urges to claim Archbishop Anastas Janulatos as “person Non Grata” and he must leave the Albanian territory very soon as possible, because “he is making the hellenisation of southern Albania”. Albania press continues to publics propaganda anti orthodox church, even churches and monasteries particularly of Byzantine period, have been attacked and violated every time from Albanian criminals groups.

On June 10, 2007, the Albanian Authority, in occasion of historically visit of US President George Bush in Tirana, over alls, had previsted a meeting with George Bush and high representatives religions of Albania, but the name of Archbishop Janulatos was replaced from another person “anonymous of Orthodox Church”. This scandal has been a provocation against orthodox community of Albania, but was been deviated and changed by status protocol of President Bush from his staff during his visit in Albania. The absolutely silence of Albanian press about this scandal, conducted particularly from Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to other politic responsibilities tells a strategic plan of Albanian nationalism installed a large front against Archbishop Janulatos and Orthodox Church of Albania, which begins from Albanian Diaspora to Albanian politic specter in Tirana, including the government and a part of politic opposition.

Is this fact why the Albanian authority does not give the Albanian citizen to Archbishop of Albania Anastas Janulatos, even he is the must loved person not from orthodoxies of Albania and particularly from Greeks who live in Albania but also from orthodoxies of the world. Never has been a decision as “good work” from Albanian authorities to honor the benefice of Archbishop Anastas Janulatos, while at the time; Albanian nationalism is preparing the last battle against his eminence and orthodoxy.

June 25, 2007. The Association “Chameria” a mussulman community which live in Albania, escaped from Northern Greece in 1944 as “collaborationist with axes fascist forces” has demonstrated near the Greek borders in Southern Albania, demanding and protesting to Athens for their “home land rights” lost in Greece.
Organized under politic background of all politic Albanian nationalist specter including the government, the representatives of demonstration calls the Archbishop Janullatos “to held a special High Mass to honor the chams victim from Greek genocide of 1944”, but the response of Orthodox Synod Church was against: ‘We make High Mass for every soldier who did for the honor of his Patria and not for recommendations from another religions communities”.

Anyway, the Albanian nationalism is raising in infinite the battle against spiritual leader of Albanian orthodox community damaging as victory of “greater Albania”,
the end of influence of Archbishop Anastas Janullatos to Albanian orthodox mission. An aggravation of situation between religions has begun in Albania inasmuch, the Greek Ethnic Minority of Albania, known as “Omonia” calls to Albanian government to have under observation any efforts of “Chameria`s Association” and his paramilitary instrument: “We are very disturbed and minaced about ulterior developments of Chameria Community protest to Greek Borders, considering as a provocation of Albanian irredentism against our mother country, Greece, which compost a precedent to romp the existence of many communities which live in harmony in Southern Albania” said in the communicate press the represent of “Omonia”.

Last year, an official visit of Greek president Carolos Papullias in Albania was annulled after the cham community protest near of the Hotel, when the President Papulias should meet Albanian counter part Alfred Moisiu in Saranda . Some days ago, in a village of Greek ethnic community of Argirocastro Region, has been stamped slogans under the name of UCC, which considered from Greek population as a new provocation against Greek minority. On April 2007, a paramilitary ethnic nationalist group known as UCC has claimed one video their military actions and objectives against Greek State in Epirus Region. According to Research Terrorism Center in Washington, UCC is known terrorist as first military action in Himara Region (Southern Albanian, Greek population) on 2003, killing a person, while in Northern Greece, they has been exploded a electric station which links Italy and the Greece in Igoumenitsa.

Meanwhile, the parliament lawmakers hold one minute of silence for the “Chames victim from Greek genocide of 1944”. This warm escalation, from Albanian parliament should have in future dangerous religion impact which should damage the perspective of Albanian State to EU and NATO, regarding implication of Greek Ethnic Minority and Orthodox Church, a very critic moment, where the Greek opinion, can not stand indifferent.

Stavros Markos*

(Journalist and Member of the World Security Network Foundation at Athens & Southeastern Europe Office, RIEAS Athens).

sources:

http://www.terrorism.com/

http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Intel&file=index&view=295

http://www.WorldSecurityNetwork.com/

http://www.state.gov/

http://www.balkanalysis.com/

http://www.balkanweb.com/

http://www.kathimerini.gr/

Resolution ,35th Panepirotic Convention

Photo: Press Conference on the situation of the Greek minority in Albania from left to right: Haralambos Karathanos, Secretary-General of the organisation of North Epirus, Konstantinos Hatzidakis (EPP-ED, Greece), and Grigorios Karamelos, Member of the Albanian ParliamentBrussels, 02 April 2003

EU MUST STOP ASSOCIATION STABILISATION PROCES AGREEMENT WITH ALBANIA

The Panepiriotic Convention urges to USA, EU and Greece to have under strong observation Albania, about the Rights of the Greek minority in Albania. The Panepiriotic Convention, calls EU to romp the stabilisation proces with Albania, still the greek minority to be lived with civil and politic rigths.

“We call on the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and all international organizations to demand that Albania fulfill all its international obligations to ethnic Greeks in Northern Epiros and throughout Albania. We call on European representatives negotiating with Albania to forge a framework for its eventual integration in Europe to freeze negotiations until the Albanian government fulfills the E.U.’S demand to take accurate measure of minorities in the country. We call on the Albanian government to enhance its full acceptance in the community of responsible nations by restoring its full Greek Minority all educational, religious, political, linguistic and cultural rights due them under bilateral and international agreements signed by its representatives since the country was created in 1913 including the right to declare their ethnic and religious affiliation in a census monitored by international observers. We call on the Albanian government to finally honor the 1935 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice to allow ethnic Greeks to educate their children in their mother tongue whenever they live. We call on the Greek government to raise a strong voice in international organizations for the rights of ethnic Greeks in Albania and to do everything in its power to help Greeks from Northern Epiros working in Greece to return to their homes by providing economic assistance that will allow them to earn their livelihood in their native region and maintain its identity. We call on the Greek Parliament to adopt a resolution that it will not approve Albania’s membership in the European Union unless it first grants all rights to the ethnic Greek Minority in the country starting with an accurate measure of its members. We call on the United States to do everything in its power to end the occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkish troops; to press the Turkish government to end harassment of the Patriarchate, re-open the School of Halki, and acknowledge the Pontian and Armenian genocide and to press FYROM to stop expropriating the name Macedonia, which has been identified with Greece throughout its history.” The Convention elected the new board of the Panepirotic Federation as follows: Photis Galitsis president, Alex Pallas vice-president, Demetris Koutoulas secretary, Eva O’Brian special secretary, Eva Cantlis treasurer. Members: Christos Kyrkos, Eleonora Michopoulos, Irene Photiou, Ioannis Rammos, Vasilis Mandros, Kostas Zestakis. Past president Demetrios Tsoumbanos was elected chairman of the Convention.Former president Michalis Servos delivered a comprehensive and detailed report on the conditions of the Greek Ethnic Minority in Northern Epiros. Professor Theofanis Malkides presented his book “The Ethnic Greek Minority in Albania” published by the Panepirotic Federation on three languages, Greek, English, and Albanian. The book will be distributed to the members of Congress and Senate, to university libraries, to local state politicians and to various organizations. The Panepirotic Federation has given 250,000 dollars in scholarships the last ten years.


Το ψήφισμα, το οποίο υιοθέτησε το 35ο Συνέδριο, έχει ως εξής: «Τα μέλη της Πανηπειρωτικής Ομοσπονδίας Αμερικής, συνελθόντα κατά το 35ο δισενιαύσιο εθνικό τους συνέδριο στο Γούστερ της Μασαχουσέτης από τις 13 μέχρι τις 16 Ιουνίου 2007, 65η επέτειο από την ιδρύσεως της Ομοσπονδίας τους, υιοθέτησαν
το ακόλουθο ανακοινωθέν:
Καλούμε τις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και τα Ηνωμένα Έθνη και όλους τους Διεθνείς Οργανισμούς να απαιτήσουν από την Αλβανία να εκπληρώσει τις διεθνείς της υποχρεώσεις προς τους Έλληνες της Βορείου Ηπείρου και όλης της Αλβανίας.
Καλούμε τους Ευρωπαίους αντιπροσώπους, οι οποίοι διαπραγματεύονται με την Αλβανία για το πλαίσιο της μελλοντικής της ένταξης στην Ευρώπη να παγώσουν τις διαπραγματεύσεις έως ότου η Αλβανική κυβέρνηση εκπληρώσει την απαίτηση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να προβεί σε ακριβή απογραφή των Μειονοτήτων στη χώρα.
Καλούμε την αλβανική κυβέρνηση να επαυξήσει την ολοκληρωτική της αποδοχή στην κοινότητα των υπεύθυνων εθνών, αποκαθιστώντας στην ελληνική εθνική μειονότητα όλα τα εκπαιδευτικά, θρησκευτικά πολιτικά, γλωσσικά και πολιτιστικά
δικαιώματα, τα οποία της ανήκουν λόγω των διμερών και διεθνών συμφωνιών που υπεγράφησαν από τους αντιπροσώπους της από την δημιουργία της χώρας το 1913, συμπεριλαμβανομένου και του δικαιώματος
να δηλώνουν την εθνική και θρησκευτική τους ταυτότητα σε απογραφή πληθυσμού, η οποία θα επιβλέπεται από διεθνείς παρατηρητές.
Καλούμε την αλβανική κυβέρνηση να τιμήσει επί τέλους την γνώμη του Διεθνούς Δικαστηρίου του 1935 να επιτρέψει στους Ελληνες να εκπαιδεύουν τα παιδιά τους στην μητρική τους γλώσσα.
Καλούμε την ελληνική κυβέρνηση να εγείρει δυναμικά την φωνή της στους διεθνείς Οργανισμούς για τα δικαιώματα της Ελληνικής Εθνικής Μειονότητας στην Αλβανία και να κάνει τα πάντα εν τω μέτρω των δυνάμεών της να βοηθήσει τους Έλυνες από την Βόρειο Ήπειρο οι οποίοι εργάζονται στην Ελλάδα να επιστρέψουν στα σπίτια τους παρέχοντάς τους οικονομική βοήθεια η οποία θα
τους επιτρέψει να κερδίζουν τα προς το ζην στη δική τους περιοχή και να διατηρήσουν την ταυτότητά τους. Καλούμε την Βουλή των Ελλήνων να υιοθετήσει ψήφισμα, το οποίο δεν θα επικυρώνει την ένταξη της Αλβανίας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση εάν δεν αποδώσει πρώτα όλα τα δικαιώματα στην ελληνική εθνική μειονότητα, αρχίζοντας με ακριβή απογραφή των μελών της.
Καλούμε τις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες να κάνουν τα πάντα εν μέτρω των δυνατοτήτων τους να τερματιστεί η κατοχή της Βόρειας Κύπρου από τα Τουρκικά στρατεύματα. Να πιέσει την τουρκική κυβέρνηση να σταματήσει τον κατατρεγμό του Πατριαρχείου, να επιτρέψει την επαναλειτουργία της Θεολογικής Σχολής της
Χάλκης. Να αναγνωρίσει την Ποντιακή και Αρμενική Γενοκτονία και να πιέσει την Πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβική Δημοκρατία της Μακεδονίας να σταματήσει να απαλλοτριώνει το όνομα Μακεδονία, το οποίο έχει ταυτιστεί με την Ελλάδα καθ’
όλη την ιστορία της».
Στον χαιρετισμό του ο Μητροπολίτης Βοστόνης είπε ότι «κατάγεστε από τόπο μαρτύρων και ηρώων, από γη μεγάλων ευεργετών του Έθνους. Οι μεγαλύτεροι ευεργέτες της ελληνικής Παιδείας, εντός και εκτός της Ελλάδος, ήταν Ηπειρώτες. Την παρακαταθήκη αυτή της προσφοράς της μαρτυρίας και των αγώνων να την κληροδοτήσετε στα παιδιά και στα εγγόνιά σας» και τόνισε πως «όλοι μας πρέπει να είμαστε υπερήφανοι για την ελληνική μας καταγωγή».
Μιλώντας για το Βορειοηπειρωτικό, είπε ότι «θα πρέπει να μάθουμε και να μη ξεχάσουμε ποτέ την ιστορία» και τόνισε πως «δεν πρέπει να ξεχάσουμε ποτέ τον αείμνηστο Μητροπολίτης Κονίτσης Σεβαστιανό και τους αγώνες του. Δεν πρέπει
να ξεχάσουμε εκείνους, οι οποίοι είδαν τις εκκλησίες τους να γίνονται κινηματόγραφοι και αποθήκες.
Δεν πρέπει να ξεχάσουμε καμία μάνα, ιδιαίτερα τις μάνες που είδαν τα παιδιά τους να υποφέρουν και να φυλακίζονται επειδή τόλμησαν να μιλήσουν Ελληνικά».

Epirus Convention prize for Nick Gage (in the middle, Servos in the left and Doukakis on the right)

MICHAEL DUKAKIS TO ADDRESSEPIROTIC CONVENTION IN WORCESTER

Former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, whose maternal ancestors came from a region in northwestern Greece called Epiros, will address a naFotional gathering of Greek-Americans from that area in Worcester, MA on June 16.

The occasion for the gathering is the 35tth biennial convention of the Panepirotic Federation, an association of 36 chapters of immigrants from Epiros and their offspring that was originally formed in Worcester in 1942. The convention will be held from June 13 to 17 at Worcester’s Crown Plaza Hotel.
Along with Michael Dukakis, a former governor of MA, distinguished public figures such as Representative James McGovern and Worcester Mayor Konstantina Lukes will attend the gala dinner dance on June 16 that will be the highlight of the convention.
Metropolitan Methodios, the spiritual leader of Greek Orthodox Christians in New England, will deliver the invocation and the benediction at the dinner, assisted by the Rev. Dean Paleologos, dean of St. Spyridon’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester.
Representing the younger generation of the Greek-American Epirote community, Albany television news reporter Demetra Ganias and author/journalist Eleni Gage will be co-emcees of the gala dinner dance.
More than 300 delegates from all over the U.S. will participate in the four-day convention, including six former presidents of the Federation and dozens of chapter presidents. Among the most notable delegates will be Al and Dorothy Wilson, who will travel all the way from Los Angeles to attend, even though they are 87 and 85 years old respectively. The Wilsons are the parents of actress and producer Rita Wilson, the wife of actor Tom Hanks. He named his estate in Idaho “Sotira” after his mother-in-law’s village in Epiros. (Other notable Greek Americans from Epiros are former CIA director George Tenet, author Nicholas Gage and the late actor and director John Cassavetes.)
The convention will also attract a number of public figures from Greece, including several deputies in the Greek Parliament, as well as Nikos Gontas, the mayor of the provincial capital of Epiros, Ioannina.
The convention will begin with registration on June 13, continue with working sessions over the next three days, and culminate with the election of new officers on Saturday, June 16 and the gala dinner dance that evening. The working sessions will open with a report from the current president of the federation, Michael Servos, a businessman from Clearwater, FL, who will outline the organization’s efforts over the past two years to support the Epiros region, half of which lies in Greece and half in Albania.
Epiros is an ancient area whose recorded history goes back to Homer. Aristotle wrote in his treatise “Meterology” that the Greek language and culture began in the region. The mother of Alexander the Great, Olympias, was a princess of Epiros, and the last military leader to defeat the Romans in battle was King Pyrrhus of Epiros.
Until the 20th Century, the whole of Epiros was considered one region, but when European powers created the new country of Albania in 1913, they assigned the northern half of the area to the new nation. Overnight the ethnic Greeks of the area found themselves a minority in a new country that regarded them with suspicion and often persecuted them.
One of the main goals of the Panepirotic Federation in America has been to try to secure basic human rights for the ethnic Greeks of Northern Epiros and at the same time to promote economic development in the southern part of Epiros that is in Greece. Over the years, the Federation has provided hundreds of scholarships to students in both parts of the region and has helped support schools, churches, and cultural organizations in both areas.
Last year, at a conference in the capital of Epiros, Ioannina, the Federation was instrumental in creating a World Council of Epirotes Abroad to bring together Epirote organizations from all five continents and strengthen their efforts to promote economic development and cultural enrichment of their ancestral

Photo: "Shekulli"

Nickolas Gage: "In Albania live abou 600 thousand ethnic greeks"

The declarate of the Head of Pan Epiriotic of World Organisation, is made in Occasion of 35 Pan Epiriotic Convention which is making in Boston, USA.

"The albanian Governament does not make the General Counting Population because has afraid about individual declarate in which every albanian citizen must claim his identity. According to Albanian Authorities, the greeks in albania, are 1.17% of total popullation, while the Greek Organisations said for about 25% (togather with vllahes greek Community)

The Greek Governament according to statistics of Prime Minister Venizelos on Peace Concerence in Paris 1919, has declared for about 150 thousand, while seeing acctualy the raise of albanian statistic population makes between 550 to 600 thousand greek who live in Albania and Greece (emigrant). The greek governament it self has the statistics based also to his decision last year for given the greek citizenship to albanian emigrants, who like greek heritage togather with greek omogenes, a total numebr of 700 thousand who live in Greece and Albania (Northern Epirus)

According to CIA factbook in 1989, the ethnik greeks of albania are between 3% (albanian statistics) to 12% (greek organisations) a total population about 3.2 million from census statistics of state dictature. Annwyaw a large orthodoxes in albania (30% albanian population) must declare their old epiriotean origin.

Albania's love affair with America

President Bush was met with cheers,

hugs, and a kiss when he greeted Albanians

Sunday during a visit to the country.

PETER Lucas June 14, 2007

THE THING to remember about the extraordinary reception the Albanian people awarded President Bush on Sunday was that the outpouring of love was not so much for Bush -- although he is popular in the tiny Balkan nation -- but for the country he represents.
Any president of the United States would have received the same overwhelmingly enthusiastic welcome. Unlike the jaded residents of the rest of old Europe, the Albanian people, who are new to democracy, believe that the United States is a great democracy that believes in spreading freedom and democracy around the world. Albanians believe they are living proof of this.
Albania's love affair with the United States did not begin overnight. It started when President Woodrow Wilson, after World War I, stood up to the victorious nations of Europe and insisted that Albania, made up of one of the oldest peoples of Europe, was a true nation and that its borders had to be preserved and protected.
Back then the so-called victorious Great Powers -- Britain, France, and Italy -- wanted to divide Albania up among its neighbors, as a sort of reward for fighting and defeating the German/Austrian coalition.
Serbia was slated for a piece here, Greece a chunk there, and Italy a section of the coast. But for Wilson standing up for Albania, the tiny, poor and defenseless country would have disappeared. So it is no small wonder than many an Albanian boy born after 1919 was named Wilson.
Albania did disappear for awhile when Italy invaded it in 1939 and occupied the country. After Italy was defeated by the Allies and dropped out of World War II in 1943, the Germans took its place. The Communist Partisans, with some help from the United Kingdom and the United States, forced the Germans out of the country. There was nothing to cheer about, though, when Enver Hoxha and the communists took over Albania.
Hoxha ruled the country with an iron fist, like a small version of Stalin, stamping out freedom, religion, and hope.
When Hoxha died in 1985, communism followed suit a few years later. Once again Albania looked to the United States for hope and guidance. When Secretary of State James Baker paid a visit to the fledging democracy in 1991, the crowds were as large and as enthusiastic as the crowds that greeted Bush on Sunday. Joyous men sought to lift Baker's limousine and carry it into downtown Tirana like a trophy.
Then came Slobodan Milosevic and his ethnic cleansing of Kosovo in 1999. As hundreds of thousands of Kosovars streamed across the border for safety in Albania, President Clinton dragged a reluctant Europe into following him and his NATO bombing of Serbia that forced Milosevic's downfall. Once again the Albanian people learned that their security lay not with the states of Europe but with the United States.
When Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Albania in 1999, she was treated like a rock star. The same treatment was given to Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2003 when he went to Tirana to witness the signing of the Adriatic Charter, a document that is leading Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia into NATO membership
Albania showed its gratitude when it answered Bush's call to join the coalition of the willing and follow the United States into Iraq. Albania practically elbowed its way to the front of the line.
Although its contribution in manpower was small -- 120 soldiers -- its spirit was large. Fatos Tarifa, Albania's former ambassador to the United States at the time, was widely quoted when he said: "If you believe in freedom, you believe in fighting for it. If you believe in fighting for it, you believe in the United States."
That sums up the feeling Albanians have for the United States better than anything else. Sometimes Albanians are more American than Americans.
Bush, the first American president to visit Albania, thrilled the country at his Sunday joint press conference with Albania's prime minister, Sali Berisha, when he said, "Mirëdita." That's Albanian for "Have a good day." And so they did.
Peter Lucas, a former Boston political reporter, is author of "The OSS in World War II Albania."

The frivolity of Europe

By Petros Papaconstantinou

The 1999 war in Kosovo was a national tragedy for Serbia and a political tragedy for Europe. Once again – the first time being the Bosnian civil war – European leaders proved themselves incapable of handling a crisis in their own backyard. Instead, they delegated authority to the US and undermined the power of the UN. Worse still, they enabled the creation of an unviable NATO protectorate in the western Balkans. Eight years on, Europeans are pouring oil on the flames by eyeing the independence of the divided province – again without a UN mandate. It’s hard to grasp the frivolity with which prominent European leaders are handling an historic decision such as a forced change of borders, the first since WW2. The breakup of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia – all federal, multiethnic states – was the result of internal instability and the new status did not affect the ethnic makeup of the various territories. In Serbia’s case however, the international community is seeking to mutilate a European state after having first humiliated its leader. Undoubtedly, Bush has something to gain from Albanian nationalism. But it’s difficult to see what’s in it for Europe. Advocates of the UN plan invoke the ethnic Albanians’ right to self-determination. Kosovo, they say, is a special case and won’t set a precedent. But what about the Serbs living in Bosnia or northern Kosovo? What about the pro-Russian, de facto independent regions of South Ossetia, Abkhasia, Trans-Dniester, Crimea or the Baltic republics? What about the Hungarian minorities in Romania, Slovakia and Serbia? Or even the Basques in Spain and the Flemish population in Belgium? And what about the Turkish minority in southern Bulgaria near Thrace?
Self-determination was once acknowledged as an inalienable right of peoples living under the rule of powerful colonial empires – and not an all-weather solution.

ALBANIA: IONIAN COAST, GREEK POPULATION AND THE JALI'S BEACH PROJECT


Markos Stavros*
(Journalist, Member of the World Security Network Southeast Europe Office)
Copyright: www.rieas.gr

Under a secret plan, the Albanian government is preparing the land prices on Southern Albanian Coast Line (Northern Epirus) supported from abusive laws, in accordance with the Agency of Compensation of the Proprieties and the Project of “Integrated Coastal Development Study”, but in reality, it is preparing a national strategic plain to open a “free way” for the Albanian and Kosovo mafia to buy land and to change identity from the Byzantine period architecture, churches and monasteries of Northern Epirus to an Albanian paradox strategy of tourism.
What has in mind the Albanian government to do with Southern Coast Line (Northern Epirus)?
Which strategy is using under the slogan “Development of Albanian Tourism” across to Gross Roads, seeing the massacre of Action Nationalist Plain to change the Saranda Region from Byzantine Identity to Albanian anarchy including the support of thousands Albanian people to move in southern and to build abusive houses?
What is happening actually?
In Southern Albania, after communist collapse of 1991 and particularly after Civil War in 1997, the Albanian strategy has realized its goals to change from the Greek population to Albanian in terms of majority percentage, favoring thousand of people from other regions to build houses and hotels in Region of Saranda. The chaotic situation resulting from the anarchic housing development, continue until now “living together across to Buthrynto`s International Park”, (about 2000 houses are waiting to be legalized) under the “Law of Legalization” voted from Berisha Government.
The strategy from Government to build the “Mediterranean Club” in Kakomea Beach, making as a greater propaganda for Albanian Tourist strategy, the “Albanian mafia” is paying again to rise its interest to the Berisha`s Klan, although, when he was the political opposition, he had been against Nano`s Government (Left Coalition) that accused him as linked with the mafia to sell the lands to “Riviera Company”. But now the “history continues without finish” even the villagers of Kakomea Beach (Greek Community), continues to resist against any pressing to take and robbery their lands under the strategy of Tourism.
Why Berisha Government is supporting a “Kosovo Team” as businessmen to have priority and license to built “Tourist Villages” on Ionian Coast Line?
One month ago, in Jali (a Himara beautiful beach) the police structures destructed houses and proprieties of villagers of Jali (Greek Community). The Albanian press called as a strategy to build tourist village by a Kosovo American Businessman. The Municipality of Himara has protected the villagers declaring to have against any decision of Albanian authorities to destruct houses at the beginning of tourist season. While one day after, the Chairman of HRUP Evangjelos Doules and Mayor of Himara Municipality Vassilis Bollanos accused Berisha at the Albanian parliament as linked with Kosovo mafia against the interests of the Greek region population.
In fact, according to a variety of well-informed sources; Albanians and Kosovo mafia klans around the world - linked with a branch very strong inside Albanian government - who are supporting institutionally to finance groups known as “Cartel” to buy lands and proprieties of Northern Epiriotes from Diviaka coasts line to Butryntos Park in Saranda Region. The strategy is being supported from abusive laws contested from coastline population particularly Himara Region (The law 7501). According to information, there are about 500 million Euro in disposition of the mafia group to buy lands and to change the historically structure of monasteries and Byzantine churches. The plan has been in action months ago, when in a village known as Drimades (Himara Region), mafia has constructed some hotels in collaboration with persons under judicial restrain from authorities. Falsifying propriety documents and officially known from abusive Tribunal Decision, the Albanian mafia has bought about 70% of Ionian Cast Line.
On 2003, The Human Rights report of U.S. State Department had observed decisions of the Albanian Tribunal of Vlora and Saranda to monitor anonymous persons (most probably, members of the Albanian authorities service) as the owners. They soon after sold them, whilst the real owners (Greek Community), protested every day against Albanian authority and mafia.
Some days ago, the Mayor of Lukovo informed us for a raise of the interest by Kosovo anonymous prospective buyers to “invest under very good prices” lands from Ionian Coast Line. But one month ago, the Mayor had protested to Prime Minister Berisha for about 500 abusive houses are constructing during the Ionian Coast Line from other people but not from Lukovo Region, as the Albanian press reported. In Fieri Region, a strong Klan from Kosovo old origin is buying Adriatic Coast Line in order to construct ranch near Apollonia Park. But the strategic Nationalism of Tourism in Albania, as Minister Ylli Pango claimed calls for construction of tens of Tourist Villages particularly during Ionian Coast Line.
Does the “Commercial Bank of Albania” (Turkish Bank) buy lands in Albania?
The only Bank of the country (in total 18 banks), which claims its interest to buy lands and proprieties, is the “Commercial Bank of Albania” old state bank privatized from Turkish Consortium Banks. But similar history of buying lands is developing in Northern Cyprus and Thrace Region in Greece. The question is: Albanian state, Albanian and Kosovo mafia…. and Turkish Bank are working together to buy lands and properties of Northern Epirotes to change also the structure and Byzantine identity? Is this Bank (before was Albanian state propriety) as principal financiers of Albanians come in Saranda Region to change the architecture of Byzantine and Epiriotic historically structure to cement constructions?
During last summer period the Ionian Coast Line owners have met tourist from Kosovo, Albanians mafias who even not known well southern part of Albania, often proposed with lot of money to buy lands!!! “We do not sell our lands, why you come to us to offer so much money often, in Europe there are beautiful beaches and you should buy there?” said the owners...
The Himara Community one month ago had protested for a plan of government under the strategy of “Development of Albanian Tourism across to Gross Roads” a project of government with the World Bank for Albanian Coast Line. The Albanian media informs that the son in law of Prime Minister Berisha, Jamarber Maltzi, is the director of the project, contested from Himara Community, when the daughter of prime minister is advocate of “Mediterranean Club” and has lot of influence together with Foreign Minister Lulezim Basha, strong link with Kosovo. Another person who works near prime minister is Shaban Memia, as Director of “Agency of Legalization” known as linked with Kosovo. Greek community has the rights to protect the annexation of their proprieties from the Albanian state to construct the tourist village considering as Albanian mafia. What happened with the strategy to help Northern Epirote people to rise the investments in their lands, when the Greek Banks gave about 250 million euro to construct the “Patriotic Road” Tirana Pristina, helping the Berisha`s Government?
“The Hellenic strategic aim of Hellas in Albania must be the cultural, linguistic and the full help to Northern Epirotes from banks and investments, economical re-Hellenization of its southern territories, that is of the Hellenic national place of North Epirus”, said often the Greek political representatives. But reality shows quite a different perspective. The aid of the Hellenic State to Albania has been changed, creating another priority; to raise investments not in Northern Epirus but in Tirana and Durresi, where the Albanian population is being transferred, leaving the land of Northern Epirus on the hands of the Albanian mafia, not investments, not Greek schools and most certainly not a single helping hand from the Hellenic banks.
Last June, in Ioannina the Chairman of Pan Epirotic Federation of America Mihailis Servos, calls Athens, the Greek Banks and Hellenic Investment Companies to give all the support for the Northern Epiriotes, who must stand in their lands and proprieties, but until now there has been not any progress. From a political point of view, Athens is giving all of its support to the Albanian Government to along the EU and NATO structures and in particular as the first foreign investor in Albania with about 800 million euro invested capital.
The strategic interest of Albania is to make all the efforts to conclude the final status of unification of “Greater Albania”. Now the Kosovo people could enter in Albanian boarders without passport (even the half of population have taken Albanian passports), but needed a highway that the finances have been found by the “Greek Banks benefactors”, a paradox hard to notice...

Stavros Markos*

Member of World Security Network Foundation Athens & South Eastern Europe Office. Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS), Athens, Greece.(Albanian politics, NGO & Minorities studies). Journalist, analyst on organized crime in the Balkans & NGO Director. Markos Stavros, born in 1965 in Vlore, Albania, is an award-winning investigative journalist in Tirana. He has worked with BBC Radio, Albanian Television TVS, France Television TF1, TF2, TV5, Italian Television RAI, Athens Media Sesk and more, specializing in Balkan organized crime. He is directing NGO activities around minority issues and has served in the directory of TV Stations and newspapers

Comments of albanian press about the scandal:

"Lost or find the watch" of US President Bush,

during his visit in Albania?

In the end of his visit in Albania, the US President Bush met albanian people in Fushe Kruja 15 km in north of Tirana. During the meeting a live with people, before he flaiyed on "First One" to Sofie, Bush lost the watch hand. Many albanian TV and newspapers comments that if the watch of President Bush has been lost or robery from people.

Anyway acording to US embassy in Tirana and Albanian Authority the watch of President Bush has been lost and finded during the friend meeting with albanian people from bodyguards of escort of the President.

Photo: The moment when The President Bush has "lost" his beautiful watch during the meeting with the people of Fushe Kruja

"The New York Times"
June 11, 2007, 1:12 pm

Can Bush Lead a Tourism Wave to Albania?

By Mike Nizza

Tags: europe, travel
President Bush got a wildly enthusiastic reception on Sunday in the Albanian town of Fusche Kruje, including the traditional head rub, above. (Photo: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press)
Reports about President Bush’s trip to Albania sounded more inviting than most tourism commercials (please see “So Where the Bloody Hell Are You?”).
As throngs of people packed streets to catch a glimpse of him, “wearing Uncle Sam top hats in the sweltering heat,” according to The Times, the prime minister welcomed him as “the greatest and most distinguished guest we have ever had in all times.”
And there’s even more good news for American tourists looking for a good time in Europe: It’s also quite cheap.
At the end of 2006, The Times named the country its “Budget Destination of the Year,” touting its 15-euro dinners, 30-euro hotel rooms and afforadable prices for “untold treasures for the intrepid.”
The capital of Tirana “is a fantastic starting point,” Matt Gross wrote. “But it’s the southern part of this Balkan country that holds the most intriguing sights and bargains.”
Still, Albania claims only 0.1 per cent of tourism in Europe, according to Toronto’s Globe and Mail, with the “tourism wave was still a while off.”
Why? The poor nation is still far behind in terms of infrastructure. Roads are shoddy, electricity is shifty and hotels are in short supply. More details from the Globe and Mail:
Albania still lacks the structures for mass tourism, but it is building wherever it can, with scant regard for water supply or sewage.
Along the winding roads from Sarande to Butrint, visitors can see bulldozers carving square sites out of rocky hillsides.
In one Sarande spot, the smell of sewage wafts into a bar with the sea breeze.
“The blame falls squarely on the state for not keeping ahead of individuals’ desire to build,” Sarande writer Agim Mato said. But luckily, he said, the tourism wave was still a while off.
“Albania’s tourism is for the daring,” he added.
Daring souls will go whenever their wanderlust strikes them, but for everyone else, Lonely

FYROM tops list in US, Greece talks Burns to meet with PM today

Comment by "Kathimerini"

A decision on whether to allow the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to join NATO has not been taken yet, US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns insisted ahead of a meeting with Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis yesterday.

Burns is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis today. Greece’s name dispute with FYROM is likely to dominate the agenda, which will also include discussions on Kosovo, Cyprus, Turkey and terrorism.
Greek diplomatic sources said Bakoyannis made it clear to Burns yesterday that Athens believes FYROM, as well as Albania, have not yet fulfilled the criteria for membership in the strategic alliance.
Burns did not make a statement after the meeting but said before he left Washington that a decision on FYROM’s bid will be made next April or May.
“I am going to Greece to hear the government’s opinion,” said Burns. “I will listen carefully.”
Washington has backed Croatia’s bid to join NATO but has yet to provide an official view on the candidacies of FYROM and Albania.
A poll by GPO yesterday suggested that 82.3 percent of Greeks think the government should or “probably” should veto FYROM’s membership of NATO.
Seven in 10 respondents object to the use of “Macedonia” in any name that the neighboring country uses, according to the poll that was published in the Proto Thema newspaper.
Nine in 10 of those questioned also thought that President Karolos Papoulias should convene a meeting of party leaders so that a consensus between the parties is achieved as to the policy that Greece follows with regard to the name issue.
In an interview in Sunday’s Kathimerini, outgoing US Ambassador to Greece Charles Ries stressed that Washington understands Greece’s position on FYROM.
“It is an issue that has existed since 1991,” he said. “We understand and have had many discussions with Greece about it. We understand Greek sensitivities.”
Meanwhile, Ries said that he was also hopeful that the members of Revolutionary Struggle – the group that claimed a missile attack on the US Embassy in January – would soon be caught.

Τα Βαλκάνια στο άρμα των ΗΠΑ

"Ethnos", Balkan Analysis, 6/10/2007

ΤΟΥ ΓΙΩΡΓΟΥ ΔΕΛΑΣΤΙΚ

Στη Σόφια ο Μπους θα σηματοδοτήσει με την παρουσία του την υπαγωγή στην αμερικανική επιρροή των δύο πρώην σοσιαλιστικών χωρών της Μαύρης Θάλασσας - της Βουλγαρίας και της Ρουμανίας. Η εγκατάσταση εκεί συστήματος αμερικανικών στρατιωτικών βάσεων υπογραμμίζει την έναρξη της νέας εποχής.
Ο Μπους θα επισκεπτόταν και τη Ρουμανία, οι ηγέτες της οποίας μιλούν δημοσίως για «στρατηγικό τρίγωνο Ουάσιγκτον - Λονδίνου - Βουκουρεστίου», αν η κατάσταση στο Βουκουρέστι δεν ήταν πολιτικά ρευστή λόγω της σφοδρής σύγκρουσης του προέδρου της Δημοκρατίας Τραϊάν Μπασέσκου και του πρωθυπουργού Καλίν Ποπέσκου Ταριτσεάνου, που κατέληξε σε απόπειρα κοινοβουλευτικής καθαίρεσης του πρώτου και θριαμβευτική επικράτησή του σε δημοψήφισμα.
ΕπικυριαρχίαΗ ουσία είναι ότι για πρώτη φορά στην ιστορία, τα Βαλκάνια περνούν κάτω από τον ολοκληρωτικό έλεγχο των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών.
Επί αιώνες, στην περιοχή αυτή κυριαρχούσε η επιρροή της Ρωσίας, σε αντιπαράθεση με εκείνη της Τουρκίας. Κατά το μεγαλύτερο μέρος του 20ού αιώνα, με τη συγκρότηση της Γιουγκοσλαβίας μετά τον Πρώτο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο και ιδίως μετά τη συγκρότηση του «σοσιαλιστικού στρατοπέδου», η πολιτική κυριαρχία της Μόσχας στα Βαλκάνια ήταν συντριπτική με μοναδικό προγεφύρωμα επιρροής της Δύσης την Ελλάδα και τη «γωνίτσα» της Ευρωπαϊκής Τουρκίας. Η κατάρρευση του «υπαρκτού σοσιαλισμού» και η διάλυση της Γιουγκοσλαβίας άλλαξαν τα πάντα στα Βαλκάνια.
Οι Αμερικανοί προσωρινά ενίσχυσαν τη Σερβία (περίπου στο διάστημα 1992 - 1995), προκειμένου να αποτελέσει ανάχωμα στην επέκταση της γερμανικής επιρροής προς Νότο. Τότε ήταν που η Ουάσιγκτον αναγόρευσε ξαφνικά τον «χασάπη» Μιλόσεβιτς σε «υπεύθυνο πολιτικό ηγέτη» και έκαναν τη συμφωνία του Ντέιτον για τη Βοσνία.
Στη συνέχεια, πραγματοποιώντας τη στρατιωτική επέμβαση στη Βοσνία, και μετατρέποντάς τη σε αμερικανονατοϊκό προτεκτοράτο, και στη συνέχεια την επίθεση για την απόσπαση του Κοσόβου από το Βελιγράδι, οι Αμερικανοί συνέτριψαν τη Σερβία και σηματοδότησαν την έναρξη ταχείας αμερικανοποίησης των Βαλκανίων.
Με την περιθωριοποίηση της Σερβίας και την ένταξη στο ΝΑΤΟ και την ΕΕ της Βουλγαρίας, η οποία ήταν ανέκαθεν η πιο ρωσόφιλη χώρα των Βαλκανίων (σε βαθμό που επί Σοβιετικής Ενωσης είχε συζητηθεί ακόμη και το ενδεχόμενο ένταξής της στην ΕΣΣΔ!), η ρωσική επιρροή στα Βαλκάνια σχεδόν εκμηδενίστηκε.
Μοναδικό απομεινάρι ρωσικής επιρροής απέμεινε η Σερβία, με καταλύτη το πρόβλημα του Κοσόβου. Και στο Βελιγράδι όμως η κυβέρνηση που συγκροτήθηκε είναι πολύ πιο επιρρεπής στην αμερικανική παρά στη ρωσική επιρροή.
Μόνο προσφάτως επιχειρεί ο Πούτιν να αναστηλώσει κάπως τη ρωσική επιρροή στα Βαλκάνια, χρησιμοποιώντας και την πλήρη ενεργειακή εξάρτηση των χωρών της περιοχής από τη Μόσχα, ενισχύοντας την επαναδραστηριοποίηση των φιλορωσικών πολιτικών δυνάμεων και στηρίζοντας αποφασιστικά τη Σερβία στο θέμα του Κοσόβου.
Το αλβανικό ζήτημαΜε τη χρησιμοποίηση του Κοσόβου ως προσχήματος για τη στρατιωτική επέμβαση των ΗΠΑ και του ΝΑΤΟ στα Βαλκάνια, το αλβανικό πρόβλημα προσέλαβε νέες διαστάσεις.
Αναμφισβήτητα υφίσταται ζήτημα αλβανικής εθνικής ολοκλήρωσης. Σχεδόν οι μισοί Αλβανοί ζουν αυτή τη στιγμή εκτός των συνόρων της Αλβανίας, σε γειτονικές περιοχές άλλων χωρών - στο Κόσοβο της Σερβίας και στο Τέτοβο της πΓΔΜ. Είτε μας αρέσει είτε όχι, λογικό είναι αυτοί οι αλβανικοί πληθυσμοί να επιθυμούν την ενσωμάτωσή τους στην Αλβανία, όταν το επιτρέψουν οι συνθήκες.
Η Αλβανία δεν μπορεί παρά να είναι μια δύναμη που επιδιώκει επαναχάραξη των συνόρων, ώστε να συμπεριληφθούν στα όρια του αλβανικού κράτους όλοι οι αλβανικοί πληθυσμοί. Το χειρότερο όμως είναι ότι η πλήρης στήριξη της Ουάσιγκτον στον αλβανικό αλυτρωτισμό στο Κόσοβο και κυρίως η χρήση στρατιωτικής βίας εκ μέρους των ΗΠΑ για την επίτευξη της ανεξαρτητοποίησης του Κοσόβου ως μοχλού ενίσχυσης της αμερικανικής επικυριαρχίας στα Βαλκάνια, δημιουργούν ένα εξαιρετικά επικίνδυνο πλαίσιο.
Τόσο η Αλβανία και οι Αλβανοί του Κοσόβου από τη μια μεριά όσο και οι Σλαβομακεδόνες της πΓΔΜ από την άλλη, αλλά έμμεσα και οι Αλβανοί του θνησιγενούς κράτους των Σκοπίων, ενθαρρύνονται από την αμερικανική πολιτική να προσφεύγουν στη βία και να χρησιμοποιούν επιθετικές μεθόδους για την επίτευξη στόχων εθνικής ολοκλήρωσης.
Ετσι όμως δημιουργείται μια εκτεταμένη ζώνη αστάθειας στα βόρεια σύνορα της χώρας, με μόνιμες εστίες έντασης. Ο περαιτέρω ακρωτηριασμός της Σερβίας ή ένας μελλοντικός διαμελισμός της πΓΔΜ κάθε άλλο παρά καθησυχαστικές εξελίξεις αποτελούν, αποδεικνύοντας ταυτόχρονα ότι η αμερικανική επικυριαρχία στα Βαλκάνια κατά κανέναν τρόπο δεν συμβάλλει στην ειρήνευσή τους - εντελώς το αντίθετο.
Θριαμβευτική αναμένεται η επίσκεψη του προέδρου των ΗΠΑ, Τζορτζ Μπους, σήμερα στην Αλβανία και αύριο στη Βουλγαρία. Στα Τίρανα θα συναντηθεί όχι μόνο με τους ηγέτες της Αλβανίας, αλλά και εκείνους της Κροατίας και της ΠΓΔΜ. Με τον έναν ή τον άλλον τρόπο, ο Μπους θα γνωστοποιήσει και δημοσίως την απόφαση της Ουάσιγκτον να εντάξει σύντομα και τις τρεις αυτές χώρες στο υπό αδιαμφισβήτητη αμερικανική ηγεμονία ΝΑΤΟ. Τόσο σύντομα που πιθανότατα η επισημοποίηση της απόφασης αυτής να γίνει κατά τη σύνοδο κορυφής του ΝΑΤΟ στο Βουκουρέστι, τον Απρίλιο του 2008.
Ο άξονας Αθήνας - Κρεμλίνου στο νέο σκηνικόΗ «αμερικανοποίηση» των Βαλκανίων, η απόπειρα αναστήλωσης της ρωσικής επιρροής στην περιοχή και οι συνέπειες της διάλυσης της Γιουγκοσλαβίας υπαγορεύουν την ανάγκη αναπροσαρμογών στην ελληνική εξωτερική πολιτική.
Πρώτα πρώτα οφείλουμε να αντιληφθούμε ότι από πολιτική σκοπιά τα Βαλκάνια σχεδόν... δεν υφίστανται πλέον! Η Σλοβενία, η Κροατία και η μισή Βοσνία επιδιώκουν να ενταχθούν στην άμεση γερμανική επιρροή, θεωρώντας εαυτές ως κεντροευρωπαϊκές χώρες. Το ίδιο επιθυμεί και η Ρουμανία, η οποία δεν θέλει να χαρακτηρίζεται βαλκανική χώρα και υπό το πρίσμα ενός φαιδρού μεγαλοϊδεατισμού νομίζει ότι μπορεί να αποτελέσει ισότιμο εταίρο της... Ουάσιγκτον και του Λονδίνου.
Σοβαρότατη, αρνητική, για την Ελλάδα, εξέλιξη αποτελεί και η δραματική υποβάθμιση του πολιτικού ρόλου της Σερβίας.
Περίκλειστο χωρίς πρόσβαση στη θάλασσα, ταπεινωμένο στρατιωτικά και ηθικά, με εξωνημένη πολιτική ηγεσία, το σερβικό κράτος αποτελεί πλέον σκιά του εαυτού του.
Μια ρεαλιστική βαλκανική πολιτική της Αθήνας δεν μπορεί να συνεχίσει να δίνει το ίδιο βάρος στη Σερβία. Προς το παρόν πάντως, η Αθήνα, το Βελιγράδι και το Βουκουρέστι (η Ρουμανία έχει 1.700.000 Ούγγρους στην Τρανσυλβανία) δρουν κατά ανάλογο τρόπο στο θέμα του Κοσόβου. Ευνόητο είναι πως η συμμαχία αυτή δεν μπορεί παρά να διαρκέσει μόνο όσο διαρκεί η αντίσταση του Βελιγραδίου στο ζήτημα του Κοσόβου καθώς καμιά χώρα δεν μπορεί να εμφανιστεί... «σερβικότερη» της Σερβίας.
Πολύ μονιμότερα χαρακτηριστικά όμως πρέπει να έχει η προσπάθεια της Αθήνας να αξιοποιεί τις δυνατότητες που προσφέρει η προσπάθεια της Ρωσίας να επανέλθει πολιτικά στα Βαλκάνια.
Η Μόσχα αποτελεί τον μοναδικό ισχυρό παράγοντα, του οποίου τα συμφέροντα εξυπηρετούνται από την ανάσχεση της επέκτασης της επιρροής της Τουρκίας στα Βαλκάνια. Αντιθέτως, τόσο οι ΗΠΑ όσο και η ΕΕ δεν έχουν κρύψει ποτέ τη στρατηγική προτίμησή τους προς την Τουρκία σε σχέση με τη χώρα μας.
Πέρα από την απευθείας ζημιά που κάνει αυτή η στάση των ΗΠΑ, του ΝΑΤΟ και της ΕΕ σε καίρια ζητήματα των ελληνοτουρκικών σχέσεων, έχει επιπλέον «παράπλευρη απώλεια» ότι όσο περισσότερο ενισχύονται οι δεσμοί των βαλκανικών χωρών με τις ΗΠΑ τόσο περισσότερο αναπροσαρμόζουν την πολιτική τους σε πιο φιλοτουρκική βάση.
Ετσι, ακόμη και η τόσο φιλική προς την Ελλάδα Βουλγαρία έχει καταντήσει να συμπεριλαμβάνει σχεδόν μονίμως την τουρκική μειονότητα ως κυβερνητικό εταίρο, υπό το κράτος ασφυκτικών αμερικανικών πιέσεων.
Αν συνυπολογίσει κανείς την αυξημένη τουρκική επιρροή στην Αλβανία, την πΓΔΜ και τη μη σερβική Βοσνία, γίνεται ευκολότερα κατανοητό πόσο αναγκαίο είναι για την Αθήνα να αξιοποιήσει κάθε δυνατότητα που γεννά η βαλκανική πολιτική της Μόσχας.