06/03/2011
TIRANA, Albania -- The main opposition Socialist Party threatened on Friday (March 4th) to hold a new wave of protests calling for early elections, starting with one on Tuesday.Dozens of young Socialist Party supporters held a rally on Friday seeking the resignation of Minister of Interior Lulzim Basha.
A violent opposition protest on January 21 turned deadly when members of the Republican Guard opened fire on unarmed protestors, killing four and wounding more than a dozen.
The January 21 rally turned into a riot when several hundred marchers attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition.
Prosecutors are investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.
Basha is tipped to be the ruling party's candidate for mayor of Tirana in the May local elections, a post currently held by opposition leader Edi Rama.
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:36 PM on 2nd March 2011
Two U.S. airmen were today shot dead after a gunman opened fire on a bus of American troops who had just arrived at Frankfurt Aiport in Germany.
The attacker - identified as 21-year-old Kosovan named Arif Uka - gunned down his first victim as the soldier stood in front of the vehicle at Terminal 2.
He then turned his weapon on the driver as he sat behind the wheel and shot him dead. Witnesses described Uka brandishing a knife and shouting as he pulled the trigger.
Two dead: A lone gunman smuggled himself onto a U.S military bus at Frankfurt airport and then opened fire
Motives unclear: Police say it is too early to discuss whether the incident is a terrorist attack
He then attempted to flee the scene but was tackled by airport security who detained him until police arrived.
Tonight the U.S. military confirmed that two U.S. airmen had died in the attack. Two more are seriously injured
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the 'terrible incident' at the airport and said that Germany would do 'everything possible' to bring the perpetrator to justice.
German sources said that they could not reveal any details about the suspect at this stage.
But Kosovo Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi said that he had been identified as Arif Uka a Kosovo citizen from the northern town of Mitrovica. He had recently been living in Germany.
'This is a devastating and a tragic event,' Rexhepi said.
'We are trying to find out was this something that was organised or what was the nature of the attack.'
Stationary: The bus was parked outside Terminal 2 of the airport when the attack occurred
En route: The soldiers had just arrived in Germany having left their Lakenheath base in Britain
The incident happened at Terminal 2 of Europe’s second biggest airport, which is a major interchange for troops travelling to and from Afghanistan.
According to CNN, the troops were U.S. airmen stationed at Lakenheath base in Britain. They had only just arrived in Germany.
Police spokesman Jürgen Linker said: 'It seems to have all happened on the bus.'
It is unclear at this stage whether the incident is being treated as a terrorist attack and Mr Linker said it was too early to discuss the gunman's possible motives.
Speaking after the attack, Interior minister Boris Rheim told German newspaper Bild that the investigation was in its earliest stages.
'If there’s a terrorist background I can’t tell you at the moment but it’s not being ruled out,' he said.
'We’re questioning the perpetrator very closely.'
Armed: The attacker was also said to be carrying a knife
Security: Police shield the bus with the airport in lockdown
Frankfurt Airport is only a short distance from the U.S. Air Force's headquarters in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, though the U.S. military has several major bases in the Frankfurt region, which is often used as a logistical hub for operations in Afghanistan or Iraq.
It is understood that the troops had just arrived In Germany and were on their way to a base when the attack happened, although the number of soldiers on the bus at the time is unclear.
The U.S. Army Europe said it had no immediate information on the incident but was checking into it.
The airport,which is 7.5 miles south west of the city of Frankfurt, was today sealed off by police and army. .
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Eight officers shot, 2 dead in shootout
(ΑΝΑ-ΜPA) -- A total of eight police officers were struck by gunfire during a deadly shootout with three or four assault-rifle wielding perpetrators Tuesday afternoon in the working-class district of Renti, near the port of the Piraeus.
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia can become the next hot spot in the world. Recently, the local Interior Ministry called the administrators of Facebook to block the profiles of the users who incite ethnic strife. It is not ruled out that the country may soon become another stage for the Slav-Albanian conflict.In mid-February in the capital of the country Skopje a brawl broke out between Macedonians and Albanians. The latter did not like the fact that a museum shaped like an Orthodox church will be placed in the city center. As a result, eight individuals, including policemen who tried to bring order, were injured with various degrees of severity.
After the incident Macedonian Interior Ministry has asked the administration of Facebook to deactivate the profiles and pages of the groups that citizens have created to appeal to ethnic hatred. The police emphasized that the network is used by extremists to promote the idea of hatred and religious intolerance, which may threaten Macedonian statehood.
The concerns of the Macedonian security forces are well grounded. Approximately a quarter of the two million population of the country are Albanians. The maps of "Greater Albania" issued in Albania and Kosovo from time to time display the capital of Kosovo, as well as one of the main shrines of the Balkan Slavs, Ohrid Monastery. When we consider what the Albanians have done to the Kosovo churches and monasteries, the possibilities look cheerless.............................
more see:........http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/conflicts/01-03-2011/117047-macedonia_ethnic_strife-0/.
Del Ponte wants Kosovo organ case | ||
| 1 March 2011 Source: Tanjug | ||
ZURICH -- Ex-Chief Hague Prosecutor Carla del Ponte she would like to investigate the case of organ trafficking in Kosovo.
"An independent international institution should be created to conduct the investigation and protect the witnesses," Del Ponte responded when asked what needs to be done following the report on organ trafficking by Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty. "For me personally, it would be a challenge to head the investigation in Kosovo," Del Ponte said and added that she "sees no one has thought of that". "I have a good knowledge of the casefiles, and I also have connections and could carry out the investigation quickly," said the former Hague chief prosecutor. She assessed that it remains to be seen how strong the political will is in this matter, and noted that the EU and the U.S. should help with the investigation. Asked if she did the right thing in making serious accusations without the necessary evidence, Del Ponte said that the evidence was insufficient for an indictment but that the indications were serious. "I mentioned the organ trafficking in my book so that someone could start the investigation we were not able to," Del Ponte said. The Marty report alleges that ethnic Albanian KLA was involved in organized crime and atrocities committed against Serb civialians in Kosovo, including their kindappings and trafficking in their body parts. |
The NATO-led force in Kosovo, KFOR, has announced that it will reduce the number of its troops to 5,500 from 10,000.
This was confirmed for Voice of America by the force's commander, German General Erhard Buehler. He said it was proof that the mission had been successfully carried out.
"The Kosovo operation has been successful for years, and now we need to organise for, I'd say, the last third of out mission," he said.
"We are reducing the troops to 5,500 from 10,000, which is the so-called second step, and in the future we will have territorial commands everywhere in Kosovo with liaison officers and observer teams. We'll also have two battle groups and one tactical reserve," said Buehler.
He also said he believed KFOR would be able to respond to any situation with its reduced numbers.
"The security situation is good, peaceful. It's not yet stable, especially in the [predominantly Serb] north, so the key efforts are still in that area, but I think we can allow ourselves to reduce the number of troops in Kosovo," Buehler explained.
NATO troops entered Kosovo on June 12, 1999, after 78 days of air strikes on Serb positions aimed at halting ethnic cleansing against Albanians under the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. During the initial days of the conflict, NATO's peacekeeping operation had approximately 50,000 troops on the ground.
The BBC served an Albanian-speaking audience plagued by civil unrest in the 1990s The BBC's Albanian Service has made its last broadcast after nearly 20 years serving audiences in Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia.
It is one of five language services closing after cuts announced by the BBC World Service in January.
The Albanian Service first operated in 1940-1967, then resumed broadcasts in 1993 as Albania emerged from communism.
The service came into its own as Albania was shaken by civil unrest in 1997, the BBC's Sean Fanning reports.
Around 750,000 people listened across Albania, Kosovo and part of Macedonia.
The service was a major source of information for people in the region during the Kosovo conflict in 1999.
The head of the service, Ilir Nishku, said he felt "sadness because we are closing... but also a sense of pride at what we have achieved".
The main reason for the closure is wider budget cuts, but BBC management also cite the development of local media and Albania's eventual membership of the European Union.
Critics argue that while local media is free, much of it is polarised and there is still a need for an independent voice in the region.
Tirana, 26 February 2011 (AENEWS) – Albania government decided to postpone the population and housing census by “several months” citing “technical problems”. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Innovation was quoted by local media saying that the “postponement is related to the fact that the municipality workers are currently busy dealing with the next local elections”.
The census was scheduled for the 1 April and will be postponed for October or November, according to the officials.
Albania organized its last census on population and living conditions on 2001, in order to correct the statistical mishmash caused by strong emigration, population displacement within the country and tens of thousands illegal homes constructed since the collapse of communism.
Under political pressure from EU, Albania accepted to add questions on religious adherence and ethnicity in 2011 census, which dismayed a part of the public opinion that are afraid that data collected on ethnicity based on self-declaration will fuel Greek nationalist territorial claims. During the last few weeks several protest against the census on ethnicity were organized.
Currently Albania uses civic registers to account ethnic minorities and by law ethnicity could not be changed on demand.
Greek minority organizations claim that the number of ethnic Greeks in the country was diluted over time by political and social pressure and that the right of self-declaration of ethnicity could resolve such historical problems.
Albanians claims that Greek Government uses its economic muscles to lure Albanians in changing their identity for Athens nationalist claims on Northern Epirus, a region that lives currently in South Albania.
The census 2011 is expected to cost about 15 million euro and is partly financed by the EU funds.
The census is expected to produce more reliable data on the size of the population in the country and the labor force, which is impossible to be calculated based on civic registers because of massive emigration.
http://www.albanianeconomy.com/news/2011/02/27/albania-government-postpone-population-census/
| NATO Ready to Libya! - - Mobility of the bases of the B2 Spirit in the U.S. | | | | |
With this terse announcement ended a meeting of NATO's Political Committee, which dealt exclusively with the situation in Libya and it seems that the die is cast if not cease hostilities. "NATO will intervene if an individual member state requested by the Alliance to take action," he said shortly before the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen and already one or two countries are preparing to submit the request for evacuating their nationals from the fiery North African country, but things will be simple: M. Gaddafi ordered and opened stores and distributes weapons to supporters of the government of all kinds of weapons. It is estimated that within 48 hours will be able to equip approximately 50,000 citizens! The Secretary General of NATO in other statements, expressed deep concern at the Alliance for the events as "affected the lives and safety of Libyan society and those of thousands of citizens of member states of NATO, calling it" massive challenge "to release from the company in the country. At the extraordinary meeting of the NAC that engage the Minister of National Defense Evangelos Venizelos, will discuss "practical ways" to provide assistance to those in need, and limiting the consequences of the developments, an indirect reference to the damage suffered by the global economy because of rising... |
“Dialogue shouldn’t be about north Kosovo” |
| 26 February 2011 | 15:40 | Source: B92 |
| BELGRADE -- U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Christopher Dell has stated that Belgrade-Priština dialogue should not be about north Kosovo. In his opinion the status of Kosovo is already solved and there is no room for discredited ideas such as partition or change of borders in the upcoming dialogue. The U.S. ambassador told Radio Free Europe that the Belgrade-Priština negotiations could be a part of a process of restoration of Kosovo’s international reputation. Dell points out that the dialogue would show that Kosovo leadership is responsible, flexible and capable of cooperating with European institutions and of course of working with Serbia in order to improve the citizens’ quality of life and improve good neighborly relations in these parts of the Balkans. |
US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg held meetings with top Albanian officials in Tirana on Friday, supporting the role of the general prosecutor as she probes the January 21 unrest that left four people dead.
"Your constitution provides for an independent investigative process through the Prosecutor General and we think it is very important that the independence of that investigation be protected," Steinberg said.
“I appreciate the commitment that the Prosecutor General made to making sure that the investigation is comprehensive and as independent as possible," he added.
General Prosecutor Ina Rama has been the target of unprecedented verbal attacks by the ruling majority over the last four weeks, despite US and EU calls for an independent investigation.
The US official met with President Bamir Topi, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, opposition leader Edi Rama, Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto and General Prosecutor Ina Rama.
Albania has been facing renewed political crisis since the violent clashes between state security forces and protesters in Tirana.
The protest of January 21 turned into a riot when several hundred anti-government protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails.
Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition fire, leaving four dead and dozens wounded.
Prosecutors are currently investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha claims that his government is the victim of a failed coup attempt, part of the January 21 protests, orchestrated by the Socialists, the president, the secret service, the general prosecutor and four journalists.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Edi Rama accuses Berisha of turning a peaceful protest into a bloodbath and attacking any institution that does not agree with his version of the facts.
The recent tension between Rama’s Socialists and the ruling majority of Prime Minister Berisha has aggravated an already poisoned political climate which has been in a troubled state since the disputed June 2009 parliamentary elections.
Athens and OSCE proposal for N. Africa
VIENNA (ANA-MPA) -- A Greek proposal for assistance by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) towards the democratic transition in Egypt and Tunisia was submitted here during the winter plenum of the OSCE's parliamentary sssembly.
Athens poised to evacuate Greeks from Libya
Greece on Tuesday was on standby to evacuate Greek citizens from strife-torn Libya.Alexander Arvizu, the US ambassador in Tirana, reiterated on Wednesday the American stance that the May 8 ballot is a key test of Albania’s democratic credentials.
As the May 8 local elections approach, Albania’s ruling majority and Socialist opposition remain deeply divided, following the death of four opposition protestors during an anti-government rally on January 21.
The opposition has suggested that it might boycott the polls.
Arvizu’s statement came as he announced a $360,000 grant to train election monitors for the local polls and on the eve of the visit to Tirana of US Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg.
Steinberg will be accompanied during his visit by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Tom Countryman.
“In Albania, they will reinforce the importance of local elections to resolving Albania’s political impasse and reinforce the Prosecutor General’s role in investigating the events of January 21,” the state department said in a press release.
Albania has been facing renewed political crisis since the violent clashes between state security forces and protesters in Tirana.
The protest of January 21 turned into a riot when several hundred anti-government protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails.
Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition fire, leaving four dead and dozens wounded.
Prosecutors are currently investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha claims that his government is the victim of a failed coup attempt, part of the January 21 protests, orchestrated by the Socialists, the president, the secret service, the general prosecutor and four journalists.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Edi Rama accuses Berisha of turning a peaceful protest into a bloodbath and attacking any institution that does not agree with his version of the facts.
The recent tension between Rama’s Socialists and the ruling majority of Prime Minister Berisha has aggravated an already poisoned political climate which has been in a troubled state since the disputed June 2009 parliamentary elections.
The Central Electoral Commission moved on Monday to fill the vacancies for election officials for the May poll after the opposition parties failed to nominate candidates, yet another sign that they may boycott the upcoming ballot.
The Commission has launched a public announcement for candidates to fill the positions, after the opposition missed a deadline to nominate candidates of their choice.
The vacancies in question are the opposition slots for representatives on the Commissions of Electoral Administration Zones, CEAZs, the local bodies which actually count the ballots in Albania’s twelve electoral zones.
According to the Electoral Code, the political parties should have proposed their candidates for commissioners by January 24 and the CEAZs should have been established by February 7.
Although Socialist opposition leader Edi Rama only a few days ago said that his party will not boycott the May 8 ballot, the Socialists say they are seeking additional assurances that the polls will not be marred by electoral fraud.
They continue to push for the resignation of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, arguing that his ‘corrupt’ government, which they say is responsible for the death of four opposition protesters during the January 21 unrest, cannot guarantee free and fair elections.
The Socialist stance against the poll has come under fire from international officials, which see the upcoming ballot as a way to diffuse tensions and stabilise the country before the political crisis gets out of control.
The OSCE on Monday backed the CEC’s move to push the preparations for the elections forward, while panning a possible opposition boycott.
“The public announcement of the vacancies in the CEAZs to be filled soon is an important and decisive step guaranteeing full transparency of the election process vis-à-vis citizens,” said OSCE head in Albania Eugen Wollfarth.
“I welcome this step and note that it only became necessary after some parties' refusal to participate in democratic procedures according to rules they had co-authored and decided themselves,” he added.
Albania has been facing renewed political crisis in recent weeks following the violent clashes between state security forces and protesters on January 21 in Tirana.
The protest of January 21 turned into a riot when several hundred anti-government protesters attacked the police barricade set up to protect the prime minister’s office, using sticks, stones and Molotov cocktails.
Police responded with tear gas, water cannons and later with live ammunition fire, leaving four dead and dozens wounded.
Prosecutors are currently investigating the murders, the organisers of the protest and the violent demonstrators that attacked the police.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha claims that his government is the victim of a failed coup attempt, part of the January 21 protests, orchestrated by the Socialists, the president, the secret service, the general prosecutor and four journalists.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Edi Rama accuses Berisha of turning a peaceful protest into a bloodbath and attacking any institution that does not agree with his version of the facts.
The recent tension between Rama’s Socialists and the ruling majority of Prime Minister Berisha has aggravated an already poisoned political climate which has been in a troubled state since the disputed June 2009 parliamentary elections.
After three rounds of voting in Kosovo's parliament, wealthy businessman Behgjet Pacolli has been confirmed as the president of Kosovo.
Pacolli, the leader of the New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, was voted in with 62 votes in favour and four against, while one ballot was declared invalid.
In the first two rounds of voting in the parliament, Pacolli was not able to get the required two-thirds majority of votes in the 120-seat parliament. The third round required only a simple majority.
Opposition parties boycotted the session.
Pacolli's AKR has formed a coalition cabinet with the largest party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, led by incoming Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, and several smaller parties.
Pacolli took the oath of office immediately following the vote. In his speech, he said that a new challenge has begun for him, one that involves great responsibilities.
“Thank you for trusting me to follow the path of the historic president Ibrahim Rugova and to fulfill the will of our heroes,” Pacolli told MPs.
Pacolli, who studied in Germany in the 1970s and later moved to Switzerland, owns the international construction company Mabetex.
His company ‘renovated the Kremlin’, reportedly thanks to his close business ties with Moscow, and helped build the new capital of Kazakhstan.
Mabetex is also a major player in the Kosovo construction sector, carrying out a €15 million project on a government building and the renovation of one of Pristina’s most famous hotels, the Illyrian.
His party came third in the 2007 elections, running on a heavily technocratic programme, and promising transparency, investment and jobs.
Since then, Pacolli, 59, has acted as a defacto foreign minister, travelling the world in an attempt to secure recognitions for Kosovo.
His successes, including recognitions from the Maldives and other island states, have also led him into conflict with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He has made no secret of his desire to become president of the country.
21/02/2011
TIRANA, Albania -- The government is signalling it may postpone the population census scheduled for April after a long debate on the quality and effect of the format.
CONSTITUTION
