Saturday, September 21, 2013

Can Rama change Albania?


21/09/2013


Can Rama change Albania?
“Can Edi Rama take his country from basketcase to breakout star?” This is how the prestigious American magazine “Foreign Policy” starts an article for the situation in Albania and the new government of Prime Minister Rama.

“I write today to bring you good news from a remote corner of the world: Last Sunday, the Socialist government of Edi Rama took office in Albania”, says journalist James Traub.

The article initially brings details from the political career of the 49-year-old Prime Minister of Albania, focusing on the deep victory against his rival, Sali Berisha.

“The new prime minister is a 49-year-old painter who has lived in Paris,  a former member of the Albanian national basketball team -- itself a remarkable proof of multiple intelligences -- the former three-term mayor of the capital Tirana, a leader of street protests, a canny politician, a bearded Bohemian, a dedicated reformer, and quite possibly the best thing to happen to Albania in a very long time”, the article says.

By identifying the problems that the Rama government needs, journalist James Traub writes: “God knows the country could use a break. Albania is about as close to the Third World as you can get without leaving Europe.”

The article analyzes the local governing model of Edi Rama when he was Mayor of Tirana, by emphasizing the fact that Rama hired a staff of foreign-educated, English-speaking young people with no prior experience in politics.

“Rama, who once described Albanian politics as "the highest level of conceptual art," was the Vaclav Havel of Tirana's Velvet Revolution”, Foreign Policy underlines.

The article quotes Erjon Veliaj, Minister of Social Affairs and Youth, who says that they are trying to show that Albanians can be very understanding when the government looks them in the eye and says, We're in this together".

“Foreign Policy” analyzes the actions of former Prime Minister Berisha, saying: “Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, a great fan of free-market economics, not only invited Steve Forbes to Tirana but turned Albania into a Forbesian paradise by instituting a flat tax and privatizing core public services, including energy and water. The Forbesian experiment has fallen flat: Albania's growth rate now hovers around zero.”

The article goes on saying about Rama: “He has vowed to offer a national health care system; to make major investments in education; and to halt, and perhaps partly reverse, the campaign of privatization.”

Foreign Policy considers positive the fact that the government has hired Crown Agents, a private British consulting firm which extensively reformed Bulgaria's financial administration.

"British-German proposal didn't meet with approval"

BELGRADE -- Slovak FM Miroslav Lajcak says a proposal put forward by Britain and Germany concerning Serbia's EU membership talks "was not met with approval in the EU."
Miroslav Lajcak and Julian Braithwaite (Beta)
Miroslav Lajcak and Julian Braithwaite (Beta)
The two countries want "the chapter on Kosovo" be opened at the very beginning of entry talks, Tanjug reported.
Lajcak, speaking during Belgrade Security Forum, underscored that "every proposal should be adopted by consensus."

So, one should not overdramatize these voices coming from some member states, Lajcak said.

He said this replying to the question concerning the British-German "non paper", which, on their initiative, should be included in a negotiating framework which is still being considered in Brussels.

"The proposal on the normalization (of relations between Belgrade and Priština) came too early, and no issue can have a privileged position in comparison to others during membership negotiations," Lajcak said.

The Belgrade-based daily Večernje Novosti reported on Friday that Germany drew up a list of requirements for the EU's negotiating framework for Serbia, which is backed by British officials. Among other things, Germany requests that Chapters 23 and 24 dealing with judiciary and security be opened first, as well as Chapter 35 which will address Kosovo, and that all three chapters be closed last.

Lajcak, who is on a two-day visit to Belgrade, also addressed the issue of visas for Serbian citizens traveling to EU countries to say that "there is no room for panic over the recent adoption of the mechanism that would allow suspension of the visa-free regime for the Western Balkan countries."

"This mechanism is rather an action measure for the EU or a certain member state in case of a dramatic increase of the number of people pouring in from this region and in case of impression that the visa-free regime is being abused," Lajcak told RTS.

Lajcak said that the introduction of the visa suspension regime is a difficult process and such a decision cannot be made by one country.

"Such a decision requires a qualified majority of all members," he said.

The European Parliament adopted on September 12 a mechanism which makes it possible to reintroduce visas for the countries that are a source of bogus asylum seekers which puts Serbia on the list.

"No freezing"

Miroslav Lajcak stated on Friday that it is crucial for the Western Balkan countries on the EU pathways to show political will and determination to solve problems just as Serbia did.

He said at the Belgrade Security Forum that Serbia is facing the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, Macedonia has a name dispute, Bosnia-Herzegovina has the Sejdić-Finci issue, but only Serbia has showed willingness to address issues and make progress.

Asked whether some countries have a clearer European perspective while some others do not such as Kosovo bearing in mind that it is not recognized by five EU member states, Lajcak said that "the Kosovo case is specific but that it is important to underline that there is a clear perspective for the entire Balkans including Kosovo."

He underlined that the period of romanticism in terms of the EU enlargement is over, stressing that everyone is speaking about the crisis and for the reason less attention and enthusiasm is showed towards the Western Balkans.

However, this does not mean that the EU is not committed to the enlargement in the Balkans, but that now it is more up to the countries in the region to show to their citizens why it is good to be admitted to the EU.

"The best way is to show political maturity as Belgrade did in the talks with Priština," Lajcak said.

He insisted that there was "no freezing of the EU integration process."

Lajcak, who spoke in the panel dubbed “State Building and European Integration - Mutually Reinforcing or Contradicting Processes”, underlined that the EU attractiveness is decreasing and that now the EU has to prove that it is the best model for the integration of states.

He said that there is no uniform stance on the issue since there is a constant fight for balance between the political accession and technical criteria.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Golden Dawn is growing – Europe must help curb the rise of the far right

The inability of both the Greek and Cypriot states to stand up to fascist groups is a call to action at European level
Golden Dawn
'What explains the rise of Golden Dawn? The short answer is chronic corruption, economic austerity and the perpetuation of populist lies about immigration.' Photograph: Yannis Behrakis/Reuters
The rise of the far right is a daily reality in austerity-striken Europe. Its effects are more prominent in countries like Greece and Cyprus, where the impact of the crisis has been most severe. Yesterday, in Greece, a self-confessed member of the far-right party Golden Dawn allegedly killed leftwing activist and singer Pavlos Fyssas. This is not the first time that members of Golden Dawn have been in the news for violence – they routinely attack immigrants, anarchists and communists, but they are rarely prosecuted for doing so.
Their rise has been spectacular. Contrary to popular belief, Golden Dawn has been around for a long time. It was created in the 1980s, became registered as a political party in 1993 and elected 18 MPs in 2012 with 6.9% of the vote.
Worryingly, the political establishment in Greece seems willing to tolerate Golden Dawn. The veteran New Democracy MP, Vyronas Polydoras, has said that the troika poses a greater threat to Greece than Golden Dawn. Now that the core members of Golden Dawn are elected MPs, they enjoy parliamentary immunities, which their fellow MPs, like those of the ruling New Democracy and Panhellenic Socialist Movement, seem reluctant to remove. This reluctance has meant that the leaders of Golden Dawn can freely go about slapping female MPs on TV without facing any consequences for their actions.
What explains the rise of Golden Dawn? The short answer is chronic corruption, economic austerity and the perpetuation of populist lies about immigration. Golden Dawn has managed to channel the ensuing public anger to its favour. It capitalises on the fact that its members were not in previous governments, which contributed to Greece being considered one of the most corrupt countries in the EU.
The clientelism that rules political conduct in Greece has largely been one of the reasons behind the discontent of the Greek voters – it was fun while the urban middle classes could get some pieces of the pie, but when the pie became smaller in the age of austerity, those left out inevitably reacted.
At the same time Golden Dawn exploited the fear of immigration that has been masterfully constructed in Greek society. The party leaders have depicted themselves as the problem-solvers: honest people who have never taken a bribe, whose main interest is the welfare of Greek people. They portray themselves as "men of action", that don't make promises that they cannot keep. These actions consist of attacks on immigrants, anarchists and communists, all in the light of helping the Greek people, some of who, to their shame, ask for their help – "to clean the area". A horrible euphemism for "please come here, beat the immigrants and make them leave our neighbourhood".
Where will this end? How far will a rising Golden Dawn with ties with the police and military go before Greece becomes a totalitarian military state? There is no easy answer to this – I don't think this downward spiral can be stopped without an external intervention. The current state of the Greek political scene is such that it requires coalitions. Since leftist Syriza and communist KKE refuse to form a government with either of the two ruling parties whose power has been significantly reduced, the only solution for the two mainstream parties is to look to the extreme right. As the two governing parties continue implementing the troika-prescribed austerity policies, they will keep getting increasingly unpopular. Eventually, they will have no option than to form a coalition that involves Golden Dawn, which has scored highly in opinion polls, rising from 6.9% to 11.5% after it entered parliament.
This is where external factors may come in. European partners will not be able to ignore the social impact of their economic policies for long. The fascists are winning seats, or masquerading their extremism and joining the mainstream parties, where they have even bigger platforms to spread their racist views. The next step is Golden Dawn's expansion beyond Greece. Its officials often visit Cyprus and give talks to its sister party, the far-right Elam, which, thankfully, is nowhere near as popular as Golden Dawn. Like Greece, racist violence is tolerated both by the authorities and by the mainstream political parties.
The inability of both the Greek and Cypriot states to curtail the racially motivated violent actions of these groups, as well as the inability of the mainstream political parties to stand up to them, is a call to action for our European partners, who can no longer afford to sit back in their economically recovering countries as if nothing is happening elsewhere. What is naively considered a Greek problem is much more than that – it is no accident that Marie Le Pen's Front National and Nigel Farage's Ukip have increased in popularity recently. The far right is on the rise and collective action at a European level is needed. When parties like the Greek Laos or the French FN become part of the mainstream right, what is considered extreme becomes even more so. The result is what you see happening in Greece – violence, vigilantism and murder.

Explosive device thrown at building in K. Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Unknown persons on Friday morning activated an explosive device near the building housing Telekom Srbija in northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.
(Tanjug)
(Tanjug)
Nobody was injured in the explosion.
The house that was the target of what is believed to have been a hand grenade attack was abandoned.

The Telekom building, located in the ethnically mixed Bošnjačka Mahala neighborhood, suffered minor damage.

EULEX and Kosovo police members were at the scene, where a UN vehicle could also be seen.

The incident comes a day after an EULEX convoy came under attack near Zvečana in northern Kosovo, when one EULEX member was shot and killed and three others wounded.

The perpetrators of that attack are still unknown, while an investigation is ongoing.

More information is expected to be released during the day about that event.

"Greece sticks to policy of non-recognition of Kosovo"

ATHENS -- Greece remains committed to the policy of non-recognition of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, says Aleksandar Vulin.
(Tanjug, file)
(Tanjug, file)
Greece also supports "everything that Serbia is doing regarding the implementation of the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Priština," the Serbian minister without portfolio in charge of Kosovo told Tanjug in Athens.
Vulin said after a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Dimitris Kourkoulas that the talks focused on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and the upcoming local elections.

“We obtained support for everything that Serbia is doing in the implementation of the Brussels agreement,” Vulin said.

“We received support from our traditional friends that they will continue to pursue the policy of non-recognition of Kosovo and Metohija, and we were assured that they will do everything in their power to speed up the process of Serbia's accession talks with the EU in order for the negotiations to start during the Greek EU Presidency,” he said.

Greece will assume the EU presidency from Lithuania on January 1.

Govt. "invested its entire authority"

Aleksandar Vulin has said that successful local elections in Kosovo are the only way to the normalization of life in the province.

The issue of security is of key importance for Serbs in Kosovo, which requires that crimes be resolved, and that has not been the case up to this point, Vulin said at a roundtable that was organized by the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) on Thursday.

"For us, the Serbian government, the November elections are the most important. We have invested our entire authority and called on Serbs in Kosovo to go to the polls, which was a difficult and politically risky decision, but we know that is the only way to the normalization of life in Kosovo,“ he said.

Vulin underscored that the stability of the entire region depends on establishing a lasting stability in Kosovo.

“If terrorists prevail, if they succeed.... we will have a constant instability of the entire region,” he warned.

Vulin noted that, according to the latest information, around 40,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) registered for voting in local elections, which is, as he underscored, a very good result.

For Serbs in Kosovo, the security for all residing there is the main issue and prerequisite for everything, Vulin said.

Noting that since the arrival of the international community in Kosovo, 1,037 murders of Serbs were committed on ethnic grounds, Vulin underscores that only two punishments have been pronounced so far, while the other crimes are still unresolved.

“There can be no security until that is changed,” he cautioned, adding that there are also around 40,000 unresolved property cases.

The minister said this is one of the reasons why Serbs are not returning to Kosovo, and noted that before the 1999 war, around 40,000 Serbs lived in Priština, while today there are only 30-40 of them.

According to the international community's data, there are between 200,000 and 230,000 Serb IDPs, he stressed.

Vulin informed participants of the roundtable, held at the representative office of the European Parliament in Greece, about Thursday morning's murder of a EULEX staff member in the municipality of Zvečan.

“That is a tragedy. A lost human life, without any reason whatsoever... Whoever did that is the greatest enemy of Serbia and Serbs in Kosovo, the enemy of peaceful and normal life in Kosovo, he said.

On both sides, there are people who think that the Brussels agreement is not good and that it is not good that Serbs in Kosovo assume responsibility for their own future, the minister said.

The Brussels accord is a historic one, but that is only a first step, the first of agreements that Belgrade and Priština should reach, Vulin said.

“For us, the cultural heritage is maybe the most important, the heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo. We think that should be raised to the level of a new agreement between Belgrade and Priština with the EU as an intermediary,” Vulin said, voicing hope that the negotiating teams will soon start working on an agreement on property.

He noted that the agreement on telecommunications and energy has been reached, but that the issue of energy cannot be completely solved until an agreement on property is achieved.

Vulin also voiced concern over changes to the Law on Amnesty in Kosovo, stressing that what has been agreed in Brussels cannot be changed either in Belgrade or Priština, but it has to be consistently adhered to.

Vulin was on a two-day visit to Athens, but he cut his trip short because of the killing of one EULEX staff member.

EU after Kosovo asks Serbia for Autonomy of Vojvodina




Written by OBSERVER OF BALKAN

EP Rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kachin in placement in the debate EP entitled "Vojvodina: challenges on the road to democratic stability," said that "the time has come to open the issue of constitutional and legal regulation of autonomy (province) of Vojvodina ", explaining that the present institutional framework for autonomy is uncertain and vague, and that prevents the Vojvodina, and by extension Serbia, to develop their potential, especially in terms of absorption of EU cohesion funds concurs with communication by the Office of Kachin.
 
 The EP rapporteur considers that Vojvodina as a multicultural and multinational environment is "a small EU" and is a real trump card in the hands of Serbia talks with the EU's statement Kachin provoked strong reactions, report agencies with adviser of President Nikolic, Oliver Antic state that represents "unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of Serbia" and a diplomatic scandal.  
 
The provincial council of the Democratic Party of Serbia criticized Kachin and stated that such references mean that Serbia's path to EU "will be filled not only with Kosovo and the Vojvodina."

Certainly the issue of Vojvodina is not new, But the public and official position of the Kachin shows that now the EU after Kosovo, will put on the table the integration of Serbia into the EU and the autonomy of Vojvodina
 
http://www.analystsforchange.org/2013/09/blog-post_4686.html

Hundreds of North Caucasians Have Joined the Ranks of Syria’s Rebels

Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor
September 19, 2013
Foreign fighters in Syria (Source: sofrep.com)
Following Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem’s September 9 visit to Moscow at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (http://kommersant.ru/doc/2275019), the issue of the involvement of Chechens in the Syrian war once again came to the fore.


At a press conference, Muallem insisted that his country is fighting not against the opposition, but foreign terrorists—who, he claimed, are being armed and trained by Turkey. “People from the Caucasus and Chechnya are among the terrorists,” he said. “Turkey trains terrorists from 83 countries” (http://ru.apa.az/news/255100).

Then, at a meeting with State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, Muallem again alleged that people from the Caucasus were among those who had infiltrated Syria from Turkey (http://www.itar-tass.com/c303/871685.html). Against the backdrop of these statements, another irresponsible article appeared in the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, headlined “The Syrian Beachhead of the North Caucasian Militants” (http://www.ng.ru/world/2013-09-04/7_placdarm.html). The author of the article, citing the notorious head of the anna-news.info website, Marat Musin, asserted that the number of militants from Russia in Syria has reached 4,000. According to Musin, ethnic Kyrgyz meet the militants who arrive from Turkey, and the majority of militants arriving in Syria are Azerbaijanis. Thus, Shi’ite Azeris are putatively going to Syria to fight against Shi’ite Syrians. Reading Musin’s writings, one acquires the impression that the analyst is describing the military actions in the North Caucasus, not in Syria. The author uses the same rhetorical tools for Syria that the Russian government has used for the North Caucasus—“counter-terrorist operation against foreign terrorists,” “Syrian army and people’s militia,” “paid foreign mercenaries,” etc.

It was not an accident that during the Syrian minister’s visit, the Russian media announced that a Chechen militant, Aslan Sigauri, was located in Syria. Sigauri was once arrested by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for an alleged attempt to blow up the main building of Moscow State University. In 2011, the Russian security services included Sigauri (a.k.a. Variev) on their list of the 52 most dangerous rebels in the North Caucasus capable of launching an attack in any part of Russia (www.rosbalt.ru/moscow/2013/09/02/1170915.html). This example was supposed to demonstrate the face of the foreign militants in Syria.

According to some estimates, the overall number of foreigners who traveled to Syria to fight the Assad regime is now 10,000 (http://newsland.com/news/detail/id/1232477/). The overall number of militants from the North Caucasus cannot exceed 1,000 (http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2013/07/26/99507.shtml).

The Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (Army of Emigrants and Helpers) brigade is made up of Chechens and North Caucasians, but, unsurprisingly, the group also contains a large number of local Arabs, so the total number of people in the brigade could be 1,500. An ethnic Chechen from Georgia, Abu Umar Shishani (a.k.a. Umar Gorgashvili), is the leader of this group. In the past, Gorgashvili fought in Chechnya and served in the Georgian special forces during the 2008 war with Russia (www.rosbalt.ru/main/2013/08/20/1166093.html). Since last summer, Gorgashvili has been elevated to the position of the commander of the northern sector of the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (http://shamcenter.info/news/92/134/obraschenie-komanduyuschego-severnym-napravleniem-islamskogo-gosudarstva-iraka-i-shama-amira-umara-ash-shishani/d,detail-de/). There are also other well-known Chechen commanders, such as Emir Muslim (Muslim Margoshvili), Emir Seifullah (Ruslan Machaliashvili), Emir Salakhdin and Emir Abu-Musaaba (Musa). Emir Seifullah was expelled from Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar for embezzlement and erroneous interpretation of Islamic values during a time of jihad and his actions during jihad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU6K1mq38jw). Another Chechen emir, Mussaba, became known after Kurdish groups captured him in the summer of 2013. In response, the Chechens captured over 500 Kurds and demanded that their commander be freed, which the Kurds did without delay (http://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/20130723203058.shtml).

While the number of Chechens fighting in Syria may reach several hundred, according to sources close to the Dagestani interior minister, 126 Dagestanis are also believed to be fighting in Syria (http://kavkazpress.ru/archives/21454). The figure for the number of Dagestanis probably does not include individuals who left Dagestan prior to the start of the second Russian-Chechen war in 1999 and arrived in Syria from other Arab countries. So the figure of about 200 people, cited by the Dagestani branch of the FSB, is probably closer to reality (www.ekhokavkaza.com/archive/news/20130703/3235/2759.html?id=25035761). Emir Abu Banat (a.k.a. Magomed Abdurakhmanov) was among the most notorious individuals in Syria. An ethnic Dargin, Abdurakhmanov came from the village of Khajalmakhi in Dagestan’s Levashi district (http://www.alarab.qa/details.php?iss...8&artid=249862) and is accused of violence and robbing civilians. The Dagestani militant was also accused of the killing of two Catholic priests. Eventually, he had to leave Syria on the orders of Umar Shishani because of his controversial activities (http://www.sabah.com.tr/Dunya/2013/0...a-bogan-video/).

The first Chechen arrivals in Syria came from the Chechen student population in Arab countries, mainly Syria and Egypt. Later, Chechens who had received refugee status in various European countries also started to trickle in. Most of the Chechen volunteers from Europe came to Syria from Austria, whose parliament was even forced to query the country’s interior minister about the exodus of Chechen asylees from Austria to fight in Syria (www.parlament.gv.at/SUCH/?view=publicsppublished&mode=simple&s.sm.query=GZ%3A+BMI-LR2220%2F0581-II%2F2013. Moreover, as of 2009, Austria reportedly had over 25,000 Chechen refugees who arrived since the 1999 war (http://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/oesterreich/politik/230644_Tschetschenen-Asyl-wird-restriktiver.html). According to some unofficial estimates, those numbers have climbed to as high as 42,000, but this number is unconfirmed kavpolit.com/vena-i-groznyj-xotyat-vernut-chechencev-na-rodinu) During the first two years of unrest in Syria, few Chechens came from Chechnya itself. However, this subsequently changed. For example, it is known that not only men, but also some females have traveled to Syria from Chechnya, including the daughter of a top official in the government of Ramzan Kadyrov (http://kavkazpress.ru/archives/17132). To make matters worse, the Russian government makes it relatively easy to travel from the North Caucasus to Syria as the Kadyrov government in Chechnya, for example, offers a daily flight to Istanbul. There are two to three daily flights from the North Caucasus to Turkey, and Russian citizens do not need visas to visit Turkey.

Therefore, information that periodically surfaces about Chechens fighting in Syria indicates their numbers are growing. Meanwhile, there are growing conflicts within the leadership of the Syrian militants, who are divided over policies toward the local population, including the Kurds. The Chechens in the Syrian insurgency are attempting to navigate between the different factions of the Syrian opposition, trying to retain their complete independence. Regardless, the growing importance of fighters from the North Caucasus in the Syrian insurgency is now becoming such an issue that the Syrian foreign minister in Moscow was forced to recognize its impact on the war.
USA donates police equipments to Albania
20/09/2013


USA donates police equipments
The United States Ambassador to Tirana, Alexander Arvizu, organized a ceremony to mark the donation of a considerable police defensive equipments for the law enforcers, and materials for primary schools, mounting up to 158.000 USD.

Present in this ceremony were the Interior Minister, Saimir Tahiri; the Ministry of Defense, Mimi Kodheli; the Minister of Education, Lindita Nikolla and the Chief of State Police, Hysni Burgaj.

This ceremony was a result of the joint efforts of the New Jersey National Guard; the New Jersey Police; the Bergen County Sheriff Department; the Bilateral Relations Office at the European Command of the United States Army and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program.

The helmets and vests will be given to police officers throughout Albania, including the RENEA Forces, the Immediate Intervention Forces, The Special Operation Forces and the Explosive Elimination Team.

Rama: Reforms with the opposition
19/09/2013


Rama: Reforms with the opposition
The new government started working a few days ago and they have already taken some decision that found controversy, such as the replacement of the president’s portrait with that of Ismail Qemali. Another important decision was repealing the former government’s decision for importing waste material, making the referendum in December unnecessary.

Certainly that Edi Rama as a Prime Minister has started doing what he has always done best, the public relation and communication with people. The barrier rails surrounding the Prime Ministry have already been removed, as a symbolic sign that this government plans to lead the country in a different way, with more transparency to the public. But will it be really like that?

What relations will the new government build with the opposition, which is led again by a Tirana Mayor, paradoxally?

Rama in the meantime has initiated a long tour of visits which started in Prishtina, Brussels and will soon continue in New York.

This is not the reason why Top Story and journalist Sokol Balla realized his first interview as a Prime Minister this Sunday from the office where Sali Berisha used to sit. That office for Edi Rama symbolizes the peak of his political career that started in 1998, with his appointment as Minister of Culture, although his political activity has started much earlier, in 1990, when he initially cooperated with the Democratic Party.

Top Story realized an exclusive interview from Edi Rama’s first day in Office, from the moment when he left the presidency, where he met with President Bujar Nishani, and until 20:00, when his first government meeting was held.

“I believe that the new government team is welcomed by the public opinion more than any other team after the elections. This is related to the fact that this is a team made of young and ambitious people, respected public figures that are also yet to be tested”.

“We have a great gratitude for the 1 million Albanians from Tropoja to Konispol who voted the Alliance for European Albania, and I also highly respect those who did not vote the Alliance for European Albania. The dream started in 1990, with chants that we want Albania as all Europe, and we are here today for this dream that should go on, and that will go on, stronger than ever”, Rama declared.

“We are convinced that the Albanians have made the right choice and we will serve with modesty and transparence, so that we can realize the goals for which we were voted”, Rama added.

Dikovic: Greek-Serbian friendship forged in war still strong

PIROT – Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Serbia and Greece, Generals Ljubisa Dikovic and Michail Kostarakos, respectively, laid wreaths and paid their tributes to Greek and Serbian soldiers killed during the First World War at a memorial complex in Metiljavica near Pirot, southeastern Serbia, on Friday.

The commemoration ceremony at the Serbian and Greek war cemeteries in Metiljavica was attended by the military attaches of the United Kingdom, the United States Canada, France, Cyprus and other countries.

“The friendship between Serbia and of Greece was forged in the wars over one hundred years ago, when Serbian and Greek soldiers fought and died for freedom side by side. The friendship continues today and will last into the future,” General Dikovic said.

General Kostarakos said he is moved by the fact that he stands at the place where the Greek and Serbian heroes were buried alongside each other.

This place is a symbol of friendship between the two peoples, said the chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff.

Buried in the Greek military cemetery are the remains of 358 Greek soldiers who died at this site from disease and cold in the harsh winter between 1918 and 1919. Right next to the Greek cemetery is the Serbian military cemetery with the remains of 7,610 Serbian soldiers from Pirot who died in the First World War.

The ceremony, organized by the Serbian government in cooperation with the Municipality of Pirot, was held to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the breakthrough of the Salonika Front.

Tanjug

A cheap vacation in the Riviera? Try Albania

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SARANDA, Albania -- Nestled in the remote eastern corner of the Adriatic, where it joins the Ionian Sea, is a 125-mile stretch of beachfront real estate unlike most others in the world. This little-known edge of Europe is called the Albanian Riviera. It differs sharply from its counterparts, the French and Italian Rivieras, by its cost — a week there could give you barely a few hours in its snazzier, snootier namesakes.
Certainly there are other vacation beach fronts along the brilliant blue waters of the Adriatic: the increasingly popular Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, for example. But few visitors uncover the beauty and simplicity of Albania, which at one time was Europe's most thuggish communist gulag but is now America's most slavishly devoted ally on the continent.
While the Albanian seaside scenery is quite extraordinary, above all the area is cheap — easily one-tenth the cost of its French and Italian counterparts and half the cost of the Croatian coast.
ALSO ONLINE: Is Europe's most affordable capital worth the trip?
Seafood, caught that very morning, is served at beachfront cafes and grilled to perfection before your eyes for less than $8 per person. Fresh fruits and vegetables, grown in roadside fields, are for sale at stands for pennies. In the hills behind the charming little coastal villages are towns that date back to Greek and Roman times.
My wife, Pamela, and I begin our trip from the north in the capital, Tirana, an hour's drive east of Durrës and work our way down the coast. Durrës is effectively Albania's Marseilles, a thriving commercial container-seaport. Boats have been landing here since at least the seventh century BC. The Roman imprint is still visible in a mini-coliseum built to entertain those ancient colonizers. The Amfiteatri, at barely a third the size of Rome's Coliseum, is a pocket-sized replica uncovered only in 1966. Today, modern apartments surround it.
Pamela rushes down into the grottoes, with me in tow, arriving in a series of "green rooms" for the Roman gladiators, who could see through tiny slit windows up into the arena where they'd shortly emerge before 15,000 cheering, bloodthirsty fans. It's a chilling experience in more ways than one, and a relief from the 80-degree heat above ground.
Once we pull out of town headed south, we get our first real taste of the coast and its beachfront. Much like Nice or some other Riviera towns, there are stretches where new apartments face the sea (and go for less than $100,000). They're lined with sand-and-pebble beaches.
To the left, we spot the first of thousands of small domed, concrete pillboxes set into the hills. They're among the few visible legacies of Enver Hoxha, the paranoid communist dictator, who'd counted on them to repel invasions from the sea that he saw as imminent. Other similar legacies remain. Embedded in the rocky hills lining the tiny inlet of Porto Palermo halfway down the coast are two deep tunnels — safe havens for the Albanian submarine fleet.
We make nightfall at the town of Vlora, mid-point of the coast and check into the Hotel Vlora International. Although its balconies overlook the Adriatic, right in front of it we spy a newly renovated vest-pocket jewel, the Bologna (for a third the price), which is just accepting its first guests and from whose terrace we can step right onto the seashore. So that night, we dine at the Bologna's seaside café. We leave our choice of dishes — whatever has been caught that afternoon — to the young English-speaking waiter, one of scores of college students eager to try out the language on "real" Americans. We're not disappointed. As we watch two old men reel in their dinner from the beach in front of us, dish after dish appears — thinly sliced carpaccio of octopus marinated in native olive oil, a huge steaming bowl of fresh mussels and a platter of whole grilled redfish that we easily fillet.
Seafood is certainly the food of choice, and the next day, as we work our way down the coast toward the Riviera's southern anchor at Saranda, we fly past tiny seafront cafes interspersed with beaches lined with chaise lounges and colorful beach umbrellas — all largely empty in the early summer days. We're eager to reach Saranda since a half hour outside of town is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint, whose impeccably preserved or restored remains span more than 2,500 years. Past the row of olive trees and a 16th-century watch tower, built by the Venetians, who then ruled the Adriatic, to ward off Ottoman attacks, we stumble into a 3rd-century B.C. Greek theater. The town spirals outward from there as it changed hands to the Romans, who built bathhouses and villas four centuries later. We stand at what would have been the theater's center stage, my actress wife gazing up in awe at what might have been an appreciative audience.
That afternoon, back in Saranda, we stumble on another ancient site — Mosaica, a 5th-century synagogue complex that was once the center of a thriving Jewish community, including a Yeshiva. From there, it's a short stroll down to the palm tree-dotted concrete boardwalk that winds along the beachfront, lined with yellow awnings and delightful cafes.
We return to Tirana through the mountainous interior, stopping off in Gjirokastra, another UNESCO World Heritage site whose striking stone homes date back 200 years. We begin with the hilltop citadel. As we poke our heads into ancient stone prison cells, used most recently by Hoxha's communist secret police, we stumble upon an American woman of Albanian origin, whose father himself had been imprisoned here for nearly four decades for being a threat to the state. Together we stroll through the castle, emerging finally on a small grassy knoll where the hulk of a World War II-vintage American jet trainer is resting. An American spy plane brought down by the Albanian air force was the story at the time. The truth is more mundane: it developed engine trouble, was forced to land at a nearby airfield, was then seized and the pilot quickly released.
Heading "home," we encounter some truly challenging roads in the process of being rebuilt or desperately needing work. So there are two choices for visitors. Wait just a few years until it's smooth-sailing from end-to-end with prices to match. Or visit now when there are still gems to be uncovered for a song.
If you go
Getting there: You can fly into the capital, Tirana, and rent a car (there are trains and buses but they are painfully slow). Avis, Hertz and Eurocar all operate there. You can also fly into the Greek island of Corfu and take a hydrofoil ferry to Saranda (a 30-minute trip) which, depending on the time of year, ranges from $25 to $40 each way. There are also ferries that take both cars and passengers from Brindisi, Italy, to Vlora, though round-trip by car costs more than $400, compared with barely $100 for a passenger, so you're better off renting the car on the Albanian side.
Most of the coastal towns are sufficiently compact that you can easily walk from end to end, but taxis are also available and a trip from town down the coast to a seaside bistro is less than $10. Make sure you have small bills since few can change large denominations.
Where to stay: If you are staying for a week or more, you may want to make your base in one of the hundreds of apartments that face the Adriatic. Companies like Rent Holiday Homes have apartments ranging from $30 a day to $900 a week depending on the size and the season, with discounts as high as 25% for multiple weeks in low season. For hotels, try the Vlora International where a double with an ocean view ranges from $80 to $120. The smaller, recently renovated Hotel Bologna is half the price. For a real bargain, try the Hotel Paradise Beach, 10 miles south of Vlora, for for $27 to $55 a night. Nearby, at the Sunny Beach Hotel, a family room with fridge that sleeps four is $80 in high season ($20 in off season) per day, or $33 a day when booked by the month. It's difficult to book in an advance for any but the top hotels, since many don't have a website. But all are family-run and if they can't accommodate you, they will lean over backwards to find you a congenial spot nearby. In Saranda, the Hotel Butrinti, at $90 to $120 a night, is just across the road from a beach and some lovely beachside cafes. It's within easy walking distance of the town center and has a magnificent view across the bay to Corfu from the balconies in most of its rooms, which are small.
Where to eat: Just about any place along a beach has fresh-caught fish and shellfish. For the most part, stay away from the hotel dining rooms which are expensive with spotty service. The exception is the wonderful beachfront café of the Hotel Bologna in Vlora where fresh seafood is the order of the day. About 12 miles down the coast road from Vlora is the Ibiza restaurant where a meal of squid, octopus, clams, mussels and fresh tomatoes followed with homemade cinnamon ice cream with fresh strawberries costs about $25 for three. Atop a hill overlooking Saranda and its harbor is the 16th-century Castle of Lëkurësi with a marvelous bar/restaurant, where during the high season service is out on the spacious terrace overlooking the countryside and the Adriatic far below. There you can feast on seafood and grilled meat for $10-$15 a person. The Italian influence in the region is quite clear and there are pizza joints up and down the coast. Choose one on the beach overlooking a beautiful view of the Adriatic, like the Pizzeria Limani in front of the Butrinti Hotel. Thin crust with fresh toppings goes for less than $10 for an enormous pie that serves two or three healthy appetites.
For more information:albaniantourism.com
David A. Andelman a former New York Times and CBS News correspondent, is the editor in chief of World Policy Journal and author of A Shattered Peace: Versailles 1919 and the Price We Pay Today.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Bushati kerkon nga SHBA ekspertize per diplomacine Tema TV 19 shtator ...



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The new Foreign Minister of Albania Ditmir Bushati, during his meeting with US Ambasador in Tirana Alexander Arvizou, calls the State Department to raise its influence with experts to help Albania for the new national strategy, especially on relations with its neighbors.

Μήνυμα Ν.Γ.Μιχαλολιάκου προς τους Έλληνες Εθνικιστές

The speech of Leader of the Golden Dawn Party, after revolts in Athens



All politic parties want to get out of the law the Golden Dawn Party. Reaction of the Leader of Golden Dawn Niokos Mihalolakis during a speech for Greek nationalists citizens. 

According to a secret report from EYP Greek National Intelligence, Greece is including to great crash during next period.

Samaras, Veniselos, Tsipras and Kouvelist as leaders of Greek majority parties, are making every possibility to include voting in parliament, getting out the Golden Dawn, from the Electoral Law.

Greek anti-fascist protests turn violent

KERATSINI, Greece — Violent clashes broke out in several Greek cities Wednesday after a 34-year-old musician described as an anti-fascist activist was stabbed to death by a man who said he belonged to the far-right Golden Dawn party.

The death of Pavlos Fyssas drew condemnation from across Greece’s political spectrum and from abroad. While the extremist Golden Dawn has been blamed for numerous violent attacks in the past, the overnight stabbing is the most serious violence so far directly attributed to a member.
Golden Dawn leader Nicholas Michaloliakos denied that the party had anything to do with the attack.
Fyssas, a hip-hop singer whose stage name was Killah P, died in a state hospital early Wednesday after being stabbed twice outside a cafe in the Keratsini area west of Athens.
Police said a 45-year-old man arrested at the scene admitted to attacking Fyssas and said he belonged to Golden Dawn. A knife with traces of blood was found near his car.
Clashes broke out Wednesday evening between riot police and thousands of protesters holding anti-fascist demonstrations in Fyssas’ memory in Keratsini and another five cities.


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In Keratsini, violence broke out near the scene of the stabbing, with hundreds of protesters attacking a nearby police station.
The confrontation lasted more than two hours, with riot police using tear gas to repel youths, who set fire to trash bins and smashed up sidewalks with hammers to throw rocks at police.
The clashes left a busy suburban road strewn with rocks and smoldering trash for several hundred meters (yards). Traffic outside the busy port of Piraeus was disrupted as police cordoned off streets to stop protesters from reaching the area.
Similar scenes played out in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, where about 6,000 demonstrators marched. Greek media also reported violent clashes in the western city of Patras, the northeastern city of Xanthi, the central city of Larissa and in Chania on the southern island of Crete.
Earlier, friends of the victim and residents left flowers and candles at the spot of the attack, where blood still stained the sidewalk. The head of a small right-wing opposition party, Panos Kamenos of the Independent Greeks, was briefly assaulted by protesters when he attempted to visit the site.
Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos, whose Socialist party is part of the coalition government, said Golden Dawn had “violence as its priority and must be dealt with as a criminal organization.”
Hannes Swoboda, president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, urged Greek authorities to examine banning the party altogether.
“Golden Dawn’s openly xenophobic, neo-Nazi hatred even goes as far as murdering political opponents. This is shocking and intolerable by any standards, and more so in a European Union country,” he said.
The rights group Amnesty International called on authorities to prevent any further incidents.
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“Politically motivated violence of this kind is unacceptable anywhere, and history has shown the grim consequences if it goes unchecked,” said Jezerca Tigani, Amnesty’s deputy Europe and Central Asia program director. “The Greek authorities must send a clear message that attacks like this will not be tolerated.”
The suspect, who was not named in accordance with Greek law, appeared before a prosecutor Wednesday evening along with his wife, who was arrested on suspicion of concealing evidence. Another couple also appeared in court on similar charges. Five prosecutors have been assigned to the case.
Golden Dawn, whose senior members have expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler although they deny being neo-Nazi, won nearly 7 percent of the vote in 2012 general elections. Recent opinion polls show its support has since risen to around 12 percent.
Party members and supporters, often clearly identifiable in black T-shirts and combat pants, have been suspected of beatings and stabbings across the country, usually of dark-skinned migrants. In January, two men identified as party sympathizers were arrested for the fatal stabbing of a Pakistani migrant worker.
But Wednesday’s killing was the first attributed to a Golden Dawn member, and the most severe attributed to political rather than racial motives.
“I am shaken by the event,” said Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias, who cancelled a visit to Rome scheduled for Thursday. The killing and other recent violent incidents “show in the clearest possible way the intentions of the neo-Nazi creation.”
Michaloliakos, the Golden Dawn head, said his party “unreservedly condemns the murder of the 34-year-old at Keratsini and denies any involvement of the party.”
“All the political parties must assume their responsibilities and not create a climate of civil war, giving a political character to a tragic event,” he said.
Police spokesman Christos Parthenis said the suspect drove to the scene of an altercation between two groups of people, got out of the car and stabbed Fyssas. Friends of the victim told Greek media they had been attacked by a large group of men as they left the cafe.
Golden Dawn lawmaker Michalis Avranitis offered a different version of events, saying the victim and the suspect had initially argued about a soccer match.
“Yes, this man, as it turns out, has declared himself to be a member of Golden Dawn. But Golden Dawn has 1 million supporters,” Avranitis said in Parliament. “If, in a restaurant, two drunken idiots have a fight and someone is stabbed, should we look at their ideology and blame that?”

Reports: EULEX member killed in northern Kosovo

ZVEČAN -- A member of the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, has been killed near the town of Zvečan in northern Kosovo, Beta is reporting.
The media in Priština have also reported about the incident.
According to them, the victim is a Lithuanian member of the EULEX police.

It is unknown at this time who attacked the EULEX police.

Beta news agency said in its report that two more police officers were injured and are currently treated in Kosovska Mitrovica. They came under a burst of fire, while the victim was shot in the head and stomach.

Tanjug has reported that a member of the EULEX police was admitted to the hospital in Kosovska Mitrovica in a serious condition, but could not confirm that he had died.

EULEX spokeswoman Irina Gudeljevic told news agency that the incident happened near Zvečan on Thursday morning, but could not give any further details.

Tanjug also said that it learned the incident happened on the Kosovska Mitrovica-Jarinje road.

The area where the shooting took place is now blocked by the EULEX police, who are at the scene along with members of KFOR units. Reports said that "shell casings left behind by the killers" had been recovered.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Premier Rama meets Ivanov: Worried about the implementation of the agreements

edi-rama-qeveri1


Tirana, September 18, 2013

Prime Minister Edi Rama received today in a meeting the President of FYR Macedonia, George Ivanov, who is in Albania in the framework of the summit of the countries of the region. In the joint press conference, Rama expressed the positioning of the Albanian government for good relations in the region. In his speech, the head of SP has also talked about the implementation of the Ohrid agreement. “We have been and remain concerned about the implementation of the agreements made with international authorities in the region for the cohabitation of Albanians in FYROM”, said Rama.

Prime Minister Rama said that the integrity of FYROM is important to Albania, as it relates to the stability of the region. “To us, integrity of FYROM is very important not only because there’s a large number of Albanians living there, but also because FYROM is a key player in the stability of the entire region”, said Rama.

Prime Minister Rama has demanded more collaboration to take place with FYROM, adding that after the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, new times have come for the region and Balkan countries must see the possibility of collaboration with a new vision. “We have been, are and will always support the strengthening of collaboration between the two countries and two governments. This is a new era after the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo and in this new era, FYROM and Albania must move forward with a new vision, ideas and projects”, said Prime Minister Rama.

Premier Rama meets Ivanov: Worried about the implementation of the agreements

By   /   18/09/2013  /   No Comments
 
edi-rama-qeveri1Tirana, September 18, 2013
Prime Minister Edi Rama received today in a meeting the President of FYR Macedonia, George Ivanov, who is in Albania in the framework of the summit of the countries of the region. In the joint press conference, Rama expressed the positioning of the Albanian government for good relations in the region. In his speech, the head of SP has also talked about the implementation of the Ohrid agreement. “We have been and remain concerned about the implementation of the agreements made with international authorities in the region for the cohabitation of Albanians in FYROM”, said Rama.
Prime Minister Rama said that the integrity of FYROM is important to Albania, as it relates to the stability of the region. “To us, integrity of FYROM is very important not only because there’s a large number of Albanians living there, but also because FYROM is a key player in the stability of the entire region”, said Rama.
Prime Minister Rama has demanded more collaboration to take place with FYROM, adding that after the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, new times have come for the region and Balkan countries must see the possibility of collaboration with a new vision. “We have been, are and will always support the strengthening of collaboration between the two countries and two governments. This is a new era after the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo and in this new era, FYROM and Albania must move forward with a new vision, ideas and projects”, said Prime Minister Rama. /ibna/
- See more at: http://www.balkaneu.com/premier-rama-meets-ivanov-worried-implementation-agreements/#sthash.78ZrNyfz.dpuf

Premier Rama meets Ivanov: Worried about the implementation of the agreements

By   /   18/09/2013  /   No Comments
 
edi-rama-qeveri1Tirana, September 18, 2013
Prime Minister Edi Rama received today in a meeting the President of FYR Macedonia, George Ivanov, who is in Albania in the framework of the summit of the countries of the region. In the joint press conference, Rama expressed the positioning of the Albanian government for good relations in the region. In his speech, the head of SP has also talked about the implementation of the Ohrid agreement. “We have been and remain concerned about the implementation of the agreements made with international authorities in the region for the cohabitation of Albanians in FYROM”, said Rama.
Prime Minister Rama said that the integrity of FYROM is important to Albania, as it relates to the stability of the region. “To us, integrity of FYROM is very important not only because there’s a large number of Albanians living there, but also because FYROM is a key player in the stability of the entire region”, said Rama.
Prime Minister Rama has demanded more collaboration to take place with FYROM, adding that after the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, new times have come for the region and Balkan countries must see the possibility of collaboration with a new vision. “We have been, are and will always support the strengthening of collaboration between the two countries and two governments. This is a new era after the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo and in this new era, FYROM and Albania must move forward with a new vision, ideas and projects”, said Prime Minister Rama. /ibna/
- See more at: http://www.balkaneu.com/premier-rama-meets-ivanov-worried-implementation-agreements/#sthash.78ZrNyfz.dpuf

Premier Rama meets Ivanov: Worried about the implementation of the agreements

By   /   18/09/2013  /   No Comments
 
edi-rama-qeveri1Tirana, September 18, 2013
Prime Minister Edi Rama received today in a meeting the President of FYR Macedonia, George Ivanov, who is in Albania in the framework of the summit of the countries of the region. In the joint press conference, Rama expressed the positioning of the Albanian government for good relations in the region. In his speech, the head of SP has also talked about the implementation of the Ohrid agreement. “We have been and remain concerned about the implementation of the agreements made with international authorities in the region for the cohabitation of Albanians in FYROM”, said Rama.
Prime Minister Rama said that the integrity of FYROM is important to Albania, as it relates to the stability of the region. “To us, integrity of FYROM is very important not only because there’s a large number of Albanians living there, but also because FYROM is a key player in the stability of the entire region”, said Rama.
Prime Minister Rama has demanded more collaboration to take place with FYROM, adding that after the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, new times have come for the region and Balkan countries must see the possibility of collaboration with a new vision. “We have been, are and will always support the strengthening of collaboration between the two countries and two governments. This is a new era after the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo and in this new era, FYROM and Albania must move forward with a new vision, ideas and projects”, said Prime Minister Rama. /ibna/
- See more at: http://www.balkaneu.com/premier-rama-meets-ivanov-worried-implementation-agreements/#sthash.78ZrNyfz.dpuf
Albania should join the European Union “within the next ten years”, PM Edi Rama said in an interview broadcast on euronews on Wednesday.
Rama was in Brussels for two days of talks with senior EU officials. He was sworn in as premier on Sunday after winning a parliamentary election on June 23rd.
A key part of Rama’s campaign centred on forging deeper ties with the EU.
“We made a lot of progress, but there is a lot to do. and I very much hope that within the next ten years, this ambition will be accomplished and that Albania will be a full member of the European Union,” Rama said.
The European Commission has laid out 12 key priorities that Tirana must focus on if it is ever to join the bloc.
Steven Blockmans, the head of foreign policy unit at the Centre for European Policy Studies, said that “tangible progress has been made.”
“They now have a new ombudsman, which was required. They have scrapped parliamentary immunity and they’ve adopted an administrative courts law,” Blockmans said.
Other issues to address include strengthening the rule of law and property rights, as well as fighting against organised crime and corruption.
Blockmans warned that even with further reform, Albania’s bid to join the EU may win little support with member states.
“Albania being the single most corrupt in Europe, according to Transparency International, one of the poorest countries in Europe. It will have problems in facing some of the more vaguely formulated requirements by the European Commission,” he said.
“Politics seems to be embroiled with organised crime. This casts a dark shadow over the ambition of Albania to join the European Union. It is certainly perceived as such in the capitals of the member states.”
When asked by Euronews how exactly he would clean up Albania’s image, Rama provided few details.
“It’s very clear. Those who got in got in through a path of modernisation. So we need to modernise. We need to modernise our institutions; we need to modernise our services; we need to modernise our ways of communicating. We are ready to do it and we will do it,” he said.
In October, the European Commission will deliver its next assessment on aspiring candidate countries such as Albania.
Jose Manuel Barroso, the head of the EU executive, told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that Tirana could achieve candidate status – the last step before full membership – by the end of the year

EU: Albania could be candidate by end of 2013, Barroso says

But must step up fight against corruption and organized crime

17 September, 1



(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, SEPTEMBER 17 - Albania could become a European Union candidate this year but it must do more to fight corruption and organized crime, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso told reporters after his first meeting with newly elected Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Tuesday.

''Albania could in principle reach adhesion candidate country status by the end of the year,'' Barroso said, adding that the objective is ''within reach'' now that Albania has proven it can hold elections that are ''free and fair, in spite of political polarization''. ''More effort'' is needed in the fight against corruption and organized crime ahead of the European Commission's report on candidate or aspiring candidate countries in October.

''The next steps will be critical to our assessment, so there is no time to lose. The coming weeks will be crucial,'' Barroso explained. ''This is a very important effort, which requires the mobilization of all Albanians'' including civil society and the opposition.

''Albania took the right steps by adopting key measures in the justice and public administration sectors, and by revising parliamentary procedures,'' Barroso pointed out. ''We will report on progress made and any further action undertaken by Albania in the fight against corruption and organized crime, including investigations and court proceedings, will be taken into account,'' Barroso promised.

''I encourage the new government to invest heavily in this direction, because our member states are watching you, as is the European Commission.'' The Albanian parliament on Sunday approved the government of its new Socialist premier, who has vowed to speed up Albania's integration into the European Union. (ANSAmed).