Uge 14 ved KFOR 14, Kosovo

10-04-2006 kl. 13:13

Redigeret af kaptajn Thomas H. Sigvardt
næstkommanderende for Administrationssektionen
samt Presse- & Informationsofficer.

I den forløbne uge har den vigtigste begivenhed for kampunderafdelingerne været en stor CRC (Crowd Riot Control) øvelse, hvor soldater fra Grækenland, Estland, Frankrig, Belgien, Luxemburg og Danmark øvede samvirke ved imødegåelse af større uroligheder.

Det er hårdt arbejde for soldaterne at stå, gå og løbe i lang tid når soldaten bærer tung udrustning med skjolde og stave, men langt de fleste nationers soldater viste sig at være veltrænede og i stand til at klare presset fra de marokkanske og franske soldater, der spillede uromagere.

Øvelsen havde til formål at efterprøve den danske bataljons evne til at gennemføre den slags opgaver i samarbejde med andre enheder. Resultatet blev rigtig godt og viste, at bataljonen også er klar til den type opgaver.

Ellers er der stille og fredeligt og foråret er på vej, hvilket både opleves ved at varmen kommer, sneen smelter og affaldet langs vejene begynder at kunne lugtes.

Den danske bataljon har sidste uge været involveret i en operation, der blev gennemført over ti nætter og havde til formål at imødegå landevejsrøvere, der huserer i visse egne af Kosovo. Der blev under denne operation blandt andet fundet en bil med våben og masker, hvilket betyder, at i hvert fald nogle af disse røvere er ude af kredsløb en periode.



Bekæmpelse af større uroligheder

Civilt/militært samarbejde.

I den seneste uge har bataljonen gennemført endnu en af de speciale opgaver, der ikke er til at forudse.

Da to danske elselskaber blev sammenlagt i den forløbne måned, betød det udskiftning af en stor mængde arbejdstøj. For ikke at lade godt og i nogle tilfælde helt nyt tøj gå til spilde, blev det fra firmaets side besluttet at donere tøjet til medarbejderne ved et elselskab i Kosovo.

Det danske elselskab kontaktede derfor bataljonen og forespurgte, om det var muligt at få hjælp til at levere tøjet ud til lokalbefolkningen, når det ankom til Kosovo.

Det var baggrunden for, at bataljonen tirsdag transporterede 17 tons arbejdstøj til udlevering bland de lokale el-medarbejdere.

Som en sideeffekt af denne indsats fik bataljonen overladt et mindre antal sæt arbejdstøj til uddeling i bataljonens ansvarsområde. Disse sæt er planlagt udleveret i den kommende uge til medarbejderne ved et lille elselskab i det danske ansvarsområde.

Ved Liaison And Monitoring Team (LMT) startede ugen lidt sløvt, idet flere personer i teamet gik rundt og følte sig lidt småsløje. Der var noget influenza i luften, som flere i lejren var ramt af i disse dage.

Der var ellers nok at tage fat på i LMT. Netop i denne uge skulle vi holde en reception på vores lokale kontor, som ligger i byen Skenderaj, 25 km syd for lejren. Skenderaj lægger både navn til by og kommune.

Receptionen havde til formål at samle alle vores samarbejdspartnere på en gang, så vi kunne få sagt "officielt" goddag og præsenteret det nye LMT hold samt nøglepersonel fra den danske bataljon.

Sidst på ugen var vi så ude for at tage pulsen på det lokale erhvervsliv, idet vi var på virksomhedsbesøg på det lokale teglværk i Skenderaj. Det er en fabrik med cirka 150 ansatte, der producerede omkring 12 mio. mursten om året.

Her var vi meget interesserede i, hvordan man på denne fabrik så på fremtiden. På fabrikken ser de lyst på fremtiden, idet der bliver bygget på livet løs i Kosovo.

En af de syv ejere havde dog et ønske om, at der kunne komme liv i flere fabrikker i området, så flere mennesker kunne komme i arbejde. Man ventede sig meget af de igangværende forhandlinger om Kosovos endelige status, da afgørelsen for fabrikken kan betyde nye lånemuligheder og dermed en udbygning af produktionen.

Også tid til afslapning.

Søndag startede for nogens vedkommende med en løbetur til signalhøjen CN10, en lille løbetur på 10 km op ad bakke og ned igen. Andre havde behov for lidt mere søvn og startede morgenen med rengøring af vores fabber, (beboelsescontainere).

Så var det tid til lækker brunch, som alle glæder sig til hver søndag. Brunchen varer fra kl. ni til 13, og i det tidsrum har vi besøg af mange forskellige nationaliteter, så der sker meget i lejren.

Ellers går søndagen med at holde fri, og i dag er vi et par stykker, der vil ud og nyde solen ved en nærliggende sø med et par fiskestænger i vandet og en kold cola i hånden.

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ØST KOSÓVA / PRESEVO-DALEN / SYD-SERBIEN


For nemheds skyld bruges betegnelsen Øst Kosóva / Presevo-dalen om det omstridte område med byerne: Presheva, Medvegja og Bujanoci (Albansk stavemåde). Ca. 75 % af befolkningen skønnes at være etniske Albanere - måske omkring 70.000. En modstandsgruppe har tidligere været i funktion, men synes nu at være »lukket ned«. Gruppen kaldtes i forkortet form UCPMB (som står for noget i retning af: Ushtria Clirimtare e Presheva, Medvegja dhe Bujanoci; på Engelsk: Liberation Army of Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanoci). Gruppen sagde at den intet havde at gøre med Kosova's UCK, og at den var en lokal gruppe.

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ALBANIEN




Klik på kortet, hvis du vil have det forstørret / click http://bjoerna.dk/kort/Albanien.gif to enlarge it


Info fra Albaniens Statistik: Befolkningstal: 3,1 Mio (1.1.2004). GDP (Gross Domestic Product): 630 Mia Lek (2002, current prices); GDP-structure: Agriculture: 26 %, Industry 10-11 %, Construction: 7-8 %, Services: 55-56 %. Export: 54 mia lek (2003) [heraf til Danmark: 23 mio lek; størrelsesorden 1,2 mio kr], Import: 226 mia lek (2003) [Heraf fra Danmark: 855 mio lek; størrelsesorden: 45-50 mio kr], Tradedeficit: 171 mia lek (2003). Største import fra Italien (75 mia lek) og Grækenland (45 mia lek), største eksport til Italien (40 mia lek). Unemployment: 14-15 % (2004-III)





Det Engelske Udenrigsministeriums 'Country Advice' til rejsende kan findes på adressen: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385522. Det Danske UM har pt ingen rejsevejledning, men henviser til det Engelske UM. Den Norske Ambassade kan findes på: http://www.norvegji.org/. Det Amerikanske UM har Juni 2004 offentliggjort en 'Background Note' om Albanien: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3235.htm


Mother Teresa: http://bjoerna.dk/albanien/Teresa.htm.


Parlamentsvalget i 2005 [Præsidenten vælges af Parlamentet for 5 år, næste gang i 2007]: Se nærmere i: http://bjoerna.net/sidste-nyt/265.htm


Præsident Moisiu's aktiviteter [Billederne i denne sektion kan som regel forstørres ved at klikke på dem (mens man er på nettet)] [NB Forbindelsen til serveren er for tiden ikke altid helt god]:


060410 Præsidenten er tilfreds med at de to store grupper er nået til enighed om at styrke det parlamentariske arbejde. Præsidentkontoret skriver:

The President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu supports and hails the agreement reached among the political parties of majority and minority regarding the rule of parliamentarian life functioning and assesses that it is a positive step. The agreement demonstrated the major significance of the political willingness for inter-parties dialogue and collaboration in the normal functioning of the institutions and democracy.

On this occasion, the President calls on the Assembly and parliamentarian political parties to immediately begin the electoral reform and real strengthening of the political and institutional collaboration in the legal treatment and quick and wide as possible consensual solution of all the major issues that express the interests of citizens and that are tied to the fulfilment of the responsibilities taken upon in the Association-Stabilization Agreement with the European Union.

OSCE i Albanien skriver tilsvarende:

TIRANA, 10 April 2006 - The OSCE Presence in Albania welcomes the way out found by the Council on Regulation, Mandates and Immunities of the Assembly of Albania to the issue of secret voting which has been one of the causes of the parliamentary impasse in recent weeks.The Presence hopes that this decision will help break a deadlock that has hindered the Assembly's work, particularly on electoral reform, in the last few weeks.

"We expect that the work on the electoral reform will be resumed as a matter of priority and without further delay," said Ambassador Pavel Vacek, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. "We hope the work in the Assembly will be primarily focused on issues relevant for the next local government elections and will pursue the recommendations of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights."

The OSCE Presence is ready to provide expertise and technical assistance to the Ad hoc Committee of the Assembly, which will work on furthering the compliance of the Albanian Electoral Code with OSCE commitments and other international standards for elections.

  

060411 Præsident Moisiu har haft besøg af den Tyske Forsvarschef. Præsidentens kontor har udsendt flg.:

The President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu received today in the afternoon the German military delegation headed by the Joint Chief of Staff of the German Armed Forces, General Wolfgang Schneiderhan. The delegation was accompanied by the German Ambassador, Hans Peter Annen.

During the talks with General Schneiderhan, President Moisiu praised the up to the present collaboration among the armed forces of our two countries, especially in the field of military education and qualification, support to our peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia, the assistance in the logistic field, in the military medical field, intercommunication, etc. The agreement signed between the two sides, Eurokopter, is very important, pointed out Mr. Moisiu, for the search and rescue operations in cases of natural disasters, etc.

It was also pointed out the serious commitment to take forward the reforms in the filed of defense, and also in the political, economic, juridical ones and in the fight against organized crime and corruption. President Moisiu expressed the conviction that Germany, as one of the main partners of Albania will be also one of the main supporters for the NATo integration. Expressing the gratitude for the German contribution to the solution of the Kosova crisis, the Head of state stated that the independence of Kosova is the main key for the stability in the region.

On his part, the Joint Chief of Staff of the German Armed Forces, stressed that the German side will contribute in the direction of the modernizing process of our Armed Forces and in the integrating one of our country in NATO and highly praised the role of Albania as factor stability in the region.

The Albanian Minister of Defense, Fatmir Mediu and the Joint Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General, Pëllumb Qazimi took also part in the meeting.

  

060416 Den Romersk Katolske Påske. Præsidentens kontor har udsendt flg.:

The President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu, wished a Happy Easter today to the Archbishop of Tirana and Durrës Metropolis, Monsignor Rrok Mirdita at the Saint Paul Cathedral.

During the talks, President Moisiu stressed that at holy religious holidays all the Albanians are together, which is a precious tradition of the harmony and tolerance among the religious beliefs in our country. At the mean time, the role played by the Catholic Church for the foundation and strengthening of the trust on a prosperous and tranquil future was pointed out.

On his part, Monsignor Rook Mirdita expressed the gratitude for the care shown by the Head of state to the development of religious beliefs and thanked Mr. Moisiu who respected this joyous day for all the Catholic believers.

Further on, President Moisiu conveyed through the media which was present the best wishes for the Albanian Catholic believers wherever they are and stated: “I wish for this day to serve us and teach us that the future, life requires sacrifices from all, requires us to love one another, to have mercy for each other, to forgive one another, to work wherever we are, be it in the job and politics in good faith and understanding by thinking that this country needs each and every one of us to secure a better future for our much suffered people.”

While answering to the media inquires about the “Democratic Party statements that the Attorney General, Sollaku has ties to the ‘Revenge for Justice’ organization,” President Moisiu stated: “I have come to wish on this holy day and on such cases I would not have like to make politics. But since you asked, I can tell you that we are a state that have Constitution, we have laws, we have independent constitutional institutions and everything must be done through the appointed laws. We have a Rule of Law, which we must strengthen and we have laws that perhaps we must improve and only this way we can progress towards United Europe in order to achieve what all the Albanians dream about.”

PM Sali Berisha's aktiviteter: [Billederne i denne sektion kan som regel forstørres ved at klikke på dem (mens man er på nettet)]. Se også ndf. under ADN-nyheder.

For nogen tid siden havde PM Berisha møde med Parlamentariske Udsendinge fra EU. PM-s kontor har udsendt flg.:

060404 Prime Minister Berisha meets the reporters of the Monitoring Commission of the EC Parliamentary Assembly: Reforms are the only way

Prime Minister Berisha, met on Tuesday morning, Mr. David Wilshire and Leo Platvoed, co-reporters of the Monitoring Mission of the European Commission Parliamentary Assembly. Mr. Berisha presented the EC reporters with the job done by the government in the war against corruption and organized crime, the preparations for the electoral reform and the willingness of the political force he represents, to accept the proposals of the opposition for the electoral process.

Prime Minister also emphasized that the new government started its fight against corruption preventing it within itself. For this reason, there were established new standards for the expenditure of the taxpayer moneys form the government to avoid abuses.

Prime Minister emphasized that reforms are the only way to progress the country.

060412 Senere havde PM Berisha møde med Erhard Busek, der leder Stabilitetsfonden. [se: http://www.stabilitypact.org/] PMs kontor skriver:

Prime Minister Berisha meets the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, Mr. Erhard Busek

Prime Minister Sali Berisha met on Wednesday morning the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, Mr. Erhard Busek. At the beginning the Prime Minister presented Mr. Busek with the achievements of the government in the war against organized crime, especially about the destruction of some of the main organizations of the organized crime in Albania and arresting their leaders. In this respect, the Prime Minister emphasized that these achievements were made possible due to the great cooperation with the other countries of the region. Mr. Berisha talked also about the “state capture”, which had been one of the main factors which had hindered the fight against organized crime during the last years. However, the government is determined in its fight with zero tolerance towards crime, the Prime Minister said.

Further on, the Prime Minister presented Mr. Busek with the achievements in the war against traffics, among which he mentioned the approval of the moratorium for the speed boats. Mr. Berisha also mentioned the real results in the war against corruption, abuse in the administration the improvement of the environment for businesses by reducing taxes for the small businesses and facilitating the procedures, etc.

Mr. Busek congratulated the Prime Minister for these achievements and expressed the full support of the Stability Pact for the Albanian government in its reforming endeavors to integrate the country in the European Union. In the meeting were also discussed other important issues about the South Eastern Europe region.

Berisha-regeringen vil af med Chefanklager Sollaku. Han beskyldes for ikke at kunne håndtere kampen mod korruptionen. Da Sollaku trådte til (mens Socialisterne havde regeringsmagten) var det efter en heftig strid om forgængeren, Rakipi - herunder også på regeringssiden. RFE skriver:

Albania's government on April 18 began procedures to sack Prosecutor-General Theodhori Sollaku, accusing him of incompetence and of hindering its fight against corruption, Reuters reported the same day. Prime Minister Sali Berisha accused Sollaku of being a "lawyer for crime" and a group of 28 members of the Democratic Party sent a request to the parliamentary speaker calling for his dismissal. "The essential point of the Democratic Party's request to sack the prosecutor-general consists in liberating the state from the claws of crime," Berisha said. Sollaku denied the allegations and said he will never resign under pressure. BW

Kampen mod organiseret kriminalitet. OSCE skriver:

Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania Pavel Vacek (right) welcomes Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Assembly Speaker Jozefina Topalli to a regional workshop on enhancing the role of parliamentarians in fighting organized crime, Tirana, 11 April 2006. (Roland Tasho)


TIRANA, 12 April 2006 - Promoting regional co-operation among South-East European parliamentarians in the fight against organized crime was the focus of a two-day workshop that ended today in Tirana.

Co-organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, the event attracted 27 parliamentarians from Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro as well as representatives of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo.

Participants discussed the experiences and roles of parliaments and their interaction with the executive and judiciary, the efforts of international organizations, the importance of international legal instruments and regional co-operation among legislative, judiciary and enforcement bodies. They also agreed on a draft document that lists 10 points to guide parliaments in their fight against organized crime.

"Fighting organized crime is a priority of the Belgian OSCE Chairmanship and the workshop has been our contribution to the OSCE-wide efforts," said Ambassador Pavel Vacek, Head of the OSCE Presence. "We are happy that the workshop has given an impulse to a closer co-operation among the region's legislators but also of the international organizations and structures."

Workshop initiator Hubert Pirker, a member of the European Parliament and former chair of the Stability Pact Initiative against Organized Crime, stressed that parliaments are crucial in seeing to that the fight against organized crime gets enough resources from state budgets.

The workshop was jointly organized by the Stability Pact Initiative against Organized Crime, the Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party, the Albanian Assembly and co-financed by the Austrian Development Agency.

040618 Økonomien. EBRD ift Albanien. EBRD skriver:

Albania has made significant progress in transition reforms and the macroeconomic environment has remained favourable in recent years, says EBRD in its latest strategy issued today. However, key challenges still persist, particularly in improving judiciary environment, eliminating corruption, upgrading the infrastructure sector and reducing the poverty levels.

The economic growth has been stable at 5-6 per cent, driven mainly by construction, business services and transport. While Albania made a progress in macroeconomic environment, it must continue to show strong commitments in improving high trade and fiscal deficits. Other challenges include: improving access to finance, especially for SMEs; strengthening of the public sector; privatising the remaining large companies and further enhancing country’s infrastructure sector in particular the substandard road and unreliable power supply networks.

The EBRD is the country’s largest single investor, having invested up to €291 million in around 21 projects. Murat Yildiran, EBRD Head of Office for Albania, said the Bank remains strongly committed to supporting Albania’s efforts to address its main challenges and hopes the Government will continue to show material progress in implementing the reforms and improving the business environment in order to attract more FDIs.

The Bank’s focus will be on the following main priorities:

* Supporting Infrastructure; where rehabilitation and restructuring of the transport and energy sectors as well as its integration within the region will remain a key priority. The Bank will also support Government’s efforts to utilise Public Private Partnership (PPP) schemes and explore other financial structures specially aimed at environmental and energy efficiency projects.

* Supporting Private Sector development; where the Bank will renew its efforts to finance existing companies as well as green field investments. In parallel, it will offer support in privatisation of remaining large scale companies, such as in the telecom and power sectors. The Bank will also continue its TurnAround Management programme, to help managers of local businesses become competitive and ready for EU accession.

* Supporting Financial sector; where the Bank will promote SME lending through local banks, while exploring the possibilities of new financial products tailored for SMEs. The Bank will also work to complete the privatisation of INSIG, the insurance company

De seneste nyheder fra ADN

   

Albania and China to Boost Economic Ties. During a meeting Premier Berisha had with Chinese vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Wednesday, he evaluated the assistance given by the Chinese government and asked for further cooperation in technology and telecommunications, agriculture, and energy. [Fotos fra Albanske PMs kontor; på billedet th Vice-PM Ilir Rusmali ([th]]

The Minister of Transport, Lulzim Basha signed on Wednesday a agreement with the Italian government for the financing a project for the development of Vlora's Port.


   

U.S Envoy on Kosovo Status Visits Albania. Frank Wisner expressed his optimism about the progress of the negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade and evaluated Albania’s role for the stability in the region.

Den Amerikanske Ambassade har udsendt flg. 060419::

Prime Minister. Thank you very much. You have made all the important points. It has been, ladies and gentlemen, a distinct privilege and honor to meet with the Prime Minister this afternoon, and to share with him the perceptions of the United States about the negotiations that are taking place over the future and the final status settlement of Kosovo. The Prime Minister and I had a very good meeting. I was able to assure you that Albania in the minds of Americans is a critically important partner in the achievement of peace. We need your advice, your assistance, and your support. For the final status of Kosovo will be everybody’s job to assure, in the region, and Albania has a vitally important role to play.

Prime Minister, my visit, as you know, has taken me from Brussels all the way to Tirana today, through Belgrade, and Pristina. I’d like to believe the negotiation is moving and now the job is to secure what President Ahtisaari must do -- agreement on decentralization, on religious rights, and on minority rights.

Prime Minster, I told you I’m an optimist and I believe we can see this forward. I am pleased to have had time in Kosovo as well to meet the new leaders, President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Çeku. I have had an opportunity to see the work they are engaged in, while of course they have a huge job to extend a hand of reconciliation and orderly government to all the citizens of Kosovo. I believe the new government has started off very well and very strongly and the United States wishes Prime Minister Çeku well.

Prime Minister, I consider it an honor to have been received by you today, and I want to pledge the continued cooperation and consultation with your government as we go down the important road ahead of us, through 2006, to what we hope will be a conclusion and the achievement of final status for Kosovo and a page that turns in the life of the region, and that peace, stability, and prosperity will be in this region’s future. Thank you, sir.

MAK-Albania Takes Over the Ownership of Butrinti Hotel. The last investment for the gigantic diversified Kharafi Group in Albania was the takeover of Hotel Alfa Butrinti in Saranda.


  

Daværende PM Fatos Nano med hhv Romano Prodi og Silvio Berlusconi ved en EU-begivenhed i 2003. Fotos fra den Albanske PMs kontor.


Parlamentsvalget gav Romano Prodi-fløjen et beskedent flertal i de to kamre (flertallet er størst i Deputeretkammeret, meget lille i Senatet). Højesteret har godkendt resultatet. Indtil dato har Silvio Berlusconi dog ikke indrømmet sit nederlag. Se evt. reportage på BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4925118.stm.

Italien er det ikke-Balkan land der har den største direkte relation til Albanien. Hvilken betydning valget vil få for Albanien er svært at sige.

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SERBIEN og MONTENEGRO. SERBIEN (alene)


Det Amerikanske UM har offentliggjort en 'Background Note' om Serbien - Montenegro: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5388.htm • Det Engelske Udenrigsministeriums 'Country Advice' til rejsende kan findes på adressen: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386622 • En biografi over tidligere Forbundspræsident Kostunica kan læses på Serbiske Politikere.


Præsidentvalg i Serbien. Boris Tadic blev i Juni 2004 valgt som Præsident. Seneste Parlamentsvalg: 031228.


Donau er gået over sine bredder

Forbedring af det Serbiske retssystem. Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Support of European institutions to reform Serbian judiciary

Belgrade, April 20, 2006 - Serbian Minister of Justice Zoran Stojkovic voiced hope today that the Serbian parliament will adopt next month a national strategy of the judiciary reform, according to which the judicial system should undergo changes within next five years which will speed up Serbia's accession to the European Union (EU).

Speaking at a presentation of Serbia's national strategy of the judiciary reform and the European Agency for Reconstruction's (EAR) project for support to the implementation of the strategy, which was held in the Belgrade Intercontinental Hotel, Stojkovic explained that the strategy is based on four crucial principles, and these are independence, transparency, responsibility and efficiency of the court system.

According to Stojkovic, court authority and the judicial system must be defined by the new constitution of Serbia, because only in that way can they be a guarantee of the rule of law.

The Minister said that the High Judiciary Council would be a guarantor of the institutional and individual independence and autonomy of courts, while the judicial system of Serbia would be composed of a higher court of cassation, a court of appeals, higher instance courts and courts of general jurisdiction.

Stojkovic specified that the strategy envisages the formation of a judiciary budget, but he explained that Serbia does not have the necessary infrastructure and capacity for adequate planning and financial management.

Head of the European Commission's Delegation to Serbia-Montenegro Josep Lloveras welcomed the completion of the strategy and stressed that the rule of law is the basis of democracy and that it provides a framework for economic and social development.

Lloveras explained that the strategy's implementation will be an important step and announced that the European Commission and the EAR will offer assistance in its implementation.

Head of EAR office in Belgrade Daniel Giuglaris voiced support for the work of the Ministry of Justice and the Serbian government and added that this agency will offer them all necessary expert assistance, but that it will not influence or decide the course of implementation of the strategy.

Head of the Council of Europe's Office in Belgrade Stefano Valenti said that the greatest problems of the Serbian judiciary are pressures from various groups, low salaries, an insufficient number of staff, a large number of unsolved cases, and the possibility of exercising the right to a fair trial.

Valeri announced that the Council of Europe will continue to offer advisory assistance to Serbia's authorities and said that it is very important that the public be informed on the judiciary reform as well.

Lovgivning om kirkeforhold. Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade, April 20, 2006 - Members of the Serbian parliament today adopted the Law on churches and religious communities and amendments to the Law on telecommunications.

With the Law on churches and religious communities, the state offers them cooperation which exists in all European states, but their autonomy and the church's independence from the state is also prescribed by this law.

The law envisages protection of believers from discrimination to which they have been exposed for decades and from political and other abuses. The autonomy of religious schools and faculties which will be equalised with the state ones is also guaranteed by this law, as well as the rights of students which will be the same as in other educational institutions.

The Serbian parliament also adopted the Law amending the Law on telecommunications which enables an equal treatment of all operators and the joining of the fixed and mobile telephony and the Internet into a single system.

In line with these amendments, telecommunication companies will not have to set up separate firms for fixed and mobile telephony and the Internet, but will be able to offer all these services as a single system.

The Law on telecommunications from 2003 envisaged the separation of the mobile and fixed telephony and the Internet into single wholes, but in practice that proved to be unsustainable.

The joining of these three services is a common practice in Europe, and these amendments free the operators from the obligation to re-register their companies.

The amendments adopted also allow for the beginning of privatisation of Mobtel and the performance of the communications activity through the company's departments.

Beta skriver:

Regardless of the fact that Council of Europe previously warned that the law is not in accordance with European standards, 120 parliamentary officials voted to adopt the law. Four parliamentary representatives were against the law and five did not vote. Serbian Radical Party officials did not participate in the voting.

The law prohibits religious discrimination and deems churches and religious communities separate from the state and equal in a court of law.

In addition, church officials have complete freedom and independence to conduct their religious duties and can conduct religious services in public places. Clergy members cannot be called to testify in court regarding facts they have knowledge of through confession activities, according to the law.

April 17, 2006 Embassy of the United States of America Belgrade: Ambassador Frank G. Wisner, U.S. Special Representative to the Kosovo Status Talks, visits Belgrade on Monday, February 17.

During the short visit, Ambassador Wisner will meet Serbian Prime Minister Kostunica, Serbian President Tadic, Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, and leaders of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Ambassador Wisner will focus on strengthening relationships with Serbia's leaders and will urge them to play a constructive role in the ongoing negotiations to ensure a peaceful, democratic Kosovo that protects the rights of all its residents.

Fotos på: http://belgrade.usembassy.gov/embassy/press/2006/b060417.html

US-Ambassador Polt speaks at the opening of the second year of study for students at the Faculty of Political Science, Center for U.S. Studies

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MONTENEGRO (alene)


Præsidentvalg 030511: Filip Vujanovic blev valgt. Seneste Parlamentsvalg 021020.


060412 Den forestående folkeafstemning om forholdet mellem Serbien og Montenegro. Jørgen Grunnet har haft en samtale med PM Djukanovic. Jørgen Grunnet er chef for OSCE/ODIHR's overvågningsmission. PM's kontor har udsendt flg.:

Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic met in Podgorica today with Jorgen Grunnet, head of the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission for the referendum on Montenegro’s state status.

Mr. Grunnet told the Prime Minister that ODIHR mission, consisting of 30 observers, was already in Montenegro, with a mandate to observe the preparation of the referendum and the referendum process itself. He also said that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly would invite fifty parliamentarians from fifty different countries to observe the referendum. Mr. Grunnet acquainted the Prime Minister with the Observation Mission’s core activities, including the preparation of intermittent reports and the final report following the referendum. He noted that ODIHR had had positive experiences in Montenegro and confirmed the readiness to cooperate with both referendum sides, and promote fair, free and democratic balloting, aimed at securing general acceptance of referendum results.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with OSCE/ODIHR’s readiness to provide support in organizing and conducting the referendum in a democratic atmosphere, as well as his gratitude for the prompt response following the announcement of the referendum date. In addition, he accentuated Montenegro’s positive experiences of cooperation with ODIHR, particularly in terms of providing expert support to the legislature and organizing and observing various election processes in Montenegro over the past years. He emphasized Montenegro’s readiness to provide all the necessary support to the observers, whose highly professional work and observation of the entire process was supposed to ensure a clear and unquestionable referendum result, which would provide a firm basis for creating a functional state and its dynamic progress towards European and transatlantic integration.

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MAKEDONIEN

Det Engelske Udenrigsministeriums 'Country Advice' til rejsende kan findes på adressen: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386163 • Det Amerikanske UM har offentliggjort en 'Background Note' om Makedonien: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26759.htm

Der er omkring 25 % etniske Albanere i Makedonien. Folketælling afholdtes 021101-021105.

Folkeafstemningen 041107 om decentralisering (= imødekommelse af Makedonien-Albanske interesser): Folkeafstemningen "faldt". Stemmedeltagelsen var kun omkring 26 %. Hvis afstemningen skulle have kunnet udvirke en ændring af decentraliseringslovgivningen, skulle deltagelsen have været mindst 50%, og desuden skulle der have været flertal mod lovgivningen. Det var ventet at stemmedeltagelsen ville have været noget større, selv om både Regeringspartierne og den Albanske minoritet anbefalede at man blev hjemme. Man kan nu gå videre i overensstemmelse med Ohrid-aftalerne.

Præsidentvalg i Maj 2004: Branko Crvenkovski - hidtidig PM - blev valgt (efter Boris Trajkovski som omkom ved en flyulykke). Seneste Parlamentsvalg fandt sted 020915. Der kan henvises til flg. OSCE/ODIHR-oversigtsside: http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/field_activities/skopje2002/.

Makedonien forhandler med EU om optagelse. Aktuel status, se: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/fyrom/key_documents.htm. Se også den generelle side: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/index_en.html


Parlamentsvalg er udskrevet til 5. JULI 2006. MIA skriver:

Parliament Speaker Ljupco Jordanovski scheduled officially the parliamentary elections for July 5, 2006.

"President of Parliament Ljupco Jordanovski according to article 67, paragraph 4 of the Macedonian Constitution and article 12 paragraph 1 of the Electoral Code, made a decision for scheduling the parliamentary elections," Macedonian Parliament says in a press release.

Bacilo-sagen. (1) Government set to reach conclusions on Bacilo case (2) Macedonian Government suspects that corruption and organized crime might be involved in compensation payment to Isnifaris Xhemaili.

The Government is due to review and reach conclusions on the State Attorney's conduct in Bacilo case legal proceedings, while taking into consideration the findings of the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Supreme Court.

The Government will review the Information on compensation payment to Isnifaris Xhemaili and recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Commission over the lawsuit, upon which State was judged liable to pay over 700.000 euros compensation to Xhemaili for alleged bombing of his sheep pen by an Army helicopter in 2001.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court found the verdict to be groundless and voiced negative opinion on the State Attorney Office's conduct in the proceedings.

The Supreme Court established that instead of conducting the expert's examination as prescribed by the law, only information about the value of the damaged items was requested from other institutions.

Despite receiving discordant information and lacking solid evidence, the Court passed the decision, the Supreme Court concluded.

The highest court disputed the Appellate Court's ruling and the conduct of the State Attorney, whose responsibility was to protect the State, contesting also the court's decision on payment of interest, which was wrongly calculated as of the date of submitting the claim, instead the date of pronouncing the verdict.

As regards the State attorney, the Supreme Court found that she failed to utilize the extraordinary legal remedies, including lodging revision request at the Supreme Court or forwarding the case to the Public Prosecution Office.

The Supreme Court delivered its conclusions to the Republic Judicial Council, competent for appointing and dismissal of judges, for determining the accountability of the judge who presided the case.

* * *

Macedonian Government suspects that corruption and organized crime might be involved in compensation payment to Isnifaris Xhemaili.

This is one of the conclusions the Government reached at today's session, after reviewing the Information on compensation payment to Isnifaris Xhemaili, while taking into consideration recommendations of the State Corruption Watchdog relating the case.

Based on the conclusion, the Government tasked competent institutions to identify all possible ways for returning the case to the courts.

The Government authorized the Interior Ministry, Public Prosecution Office and its Organized Crime Department to undertake all necessary measures for clearing up the case and setting in motion accountability procedure.

In the meantime, the Government will set out procedure for determining the accountability of the State Attorney in the Bacilo case lawsuit, upon which State was judged liable to pay about 740.000 euros compensation to Xhemaili for alleged bombing of his sheep pen by an Army helicopter in 2001.

To Engelske Politifolk sendt til Makedonien for at undersøge kriminelle økonomiske transaktioner. MAKFAX skriver:

Scotland Yard agents are in Albania to check bank accounts of Albanian migrants in UK allegedly involved in illegal drugs trade and prostitution rings, Tirana's daily Panorama said.

The paper says the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) agents will be dispatched in Albania soon. SOCA is a policing agency of the United Kingdom that acts against organised crime, including the illegal drugs trade. It is a new law enforcement agency created to reduce the ham caused by people and communities in UK by serious organized crime.

SOCA's activities include surveillance of Albanian criminals operating in London and other cities across UK.

Panorama daily says SOCA agents are likely to be stationed in Albania for a longer period. SOCA was established amid growing number of criminal organizations - 170 groups comprising members of 24 ethnic nationalities. Albanians from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia have been ranked among the notorious mobs.

During the stay in Tirana, the Scotland Yard's team met with Albanian Public Prosecution representatives in charge of serious criminal acts.

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GRÆKENLAND

Seneste Parlamentsvalg 040307.

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TYRKIET


UMs rejsevejledning: http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Borgerservice/FoerRejsen/Rejsevejledninger/RejsevejledningTyrkiet.htm.


Seneste Parlamentsvalg blev holdt 021103. Det blev i December 2004 aftalt (med EUs Regeringschefer)at der i Oktober 2005 skal indledes forhandlinger om optagelse af Tyrkiet i EU.

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LANDE UDEN FOR BALKAN OG ØSTLIGE MIDDELHAV. NATO-LANDE


ITALIEN


Mother Teresa. I anledning af saligkåringen ('beatificeringen') 031019 har Vatikantet etableret en internetside: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20031019_index_madre-teresa_en.html


  

Daværende PM Fatos Nano med hhv Romano Prodi og Silvio Berlusconi ved en EU-begivenhed i 2003. Fotos fra den Albanske PMs kontor.


Parlamentsvalget gav Romano Prodi-fløjen et beskedent flertal i de to kamre (flertallet er størst i Deputeretkammeret, meget lille i Senatet). Højesteret har godkendt resultatet. Indtil dato har Silvio Berlusconi dog ikke indrømmet sit nederlag. Se evt. reportage på BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4925118.stm.

Italien er det ikke-Balkan land der har den største direkte relation til Albanien. Hvilken betydning valget vil få for Albanien er svært at sige.

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USA




   

U.S Envoy on Kosovo Status Visits Albania. Frank Wisner expressed his optimism about the progress of the negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade and evaluated Albania’s role for the stability in the region [ADN]

Den Amerikanske Ambassade har udsendt flg. 060419:

Prime Minister. Thank you very much. You have made all the important points. It has been, ladies and gentlemen, a distinct privilege and honor to meet with the Prime Minister this afternoon, and to share with him the perceptions of the United States about the negotiations that are taking place over the future and the final status settlement of Kosovo. The Prime Minister and I had a very good meeting. I was able to assure you that Albania in the minds of Americans is a critically important partner in the achievement of peace. We need your advice, your assistance, and your support. For the final status of Kosovo will be everybody’s job to assure, in the region, and Albania has a vitally important role to play.

Prime Minister, my visit, as you know, has taken me from Brussels all the way to Tirana today, through Belgrade, and Pristina. I’d like to believe the negotiation is moving and now the job is to secure what President Ahtisaari must do -- agreement on decentralization, on religious rights, and on minority rights.

Prime Minster, I told you I’m an optimist and I believe we can see this forward. I am pleased to have had time in Kosovo as well to meet the new leaders, President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Çeku. I have had an opportunity to see the work they are engaged in, while of course they have a huge job to extend a hand of reconciliation and orderly government to all the citizens of Kosovo. I believe the new government has started off very well and very strongly and the United States wishes Prime Minister Çeku well.

Prime Minister, I consider it an honor to have been received by you today, and I want to pledge the continued cooperation and consultation with your government as we go down the important road ahead of us, through 2006, to what we hope will be a conclusion and the achievement of final status for Kosovo and a page that turns in the life of the region, and that peace, stability, and prosperity will be in this region’s future. Thank you, sir.

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ENGLAND



To Engelske Politifolk sendt til Makedonien for at undersøge kriminelle økonomiske transaktioner. MAKFAX skriver:

Scotland Yard agents are in Albania to check bank accounts of Albanian migrants in UK allegedly involved in illegal drugs trade and prostitution rings, Tirana's daily Panorama said.

The paper says the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) agents will be dispatched in Albania soon. SOCA is a policing agency of the United Kingdom that acts against organised crime, including the illegal drugs trade. It is a new law enforcement agency created to reduce the ham caused by people and communities in UK by serious organized crime.

SOCA's activities include surveillance of Albanian criminals operating in London and other cities across UK.

Panorama daily says SOCA agents are likely to be stationed in Albania for a longer period. SOCA was established amid growing number of criminal organizations - 170 groups comprising members of 24 ethnic nationalities. Albanians from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia have been ranked among the notorious mobs.

During the stay in Tirana, the Scotland Yard's team met with Albanian Public Prosecution representatives in charge of serious criminal acts.

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TYSKLAND

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FRANKRIG

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DANMARK (NORGE, SVERIGE)


Ugerapport fra Dansk KFOR. Hærens Operative Kommando - se under: Kosova.


060417 Bemærkninger til Kjell Høibraaten vedr. romanen »Brent« :

Kære Kjell.

For at få bogen lidt på afstand og for at svare så objektivt som muligt har jeg ventet lidt med at kommentere dit genmæle i http://bjoerna.net/sidste-nyt/298.htm.

Du har gjort et forsøg på at formidle viden om nyere albansk historie og indsigt i albansk tænkemåde til de norske læsere. Et sådant forsøg er meget prisværdigt. En albansk udgave (som du skriver om) er noget helt andet end en norsk. En albansk udgave må respektere de albanske læseres vilkår og baggrund, ligesom en norsk udgave må respektere de norske læseres.

Jeg synes du har sat dig mellem to stole. Mellem den dokumentarisk realistiske fremstilling - hvor formålet er at give 'en korrekt beskrivelse', evt. i fiktionens form - og spændingsromanen - hvor formålet er at give 'suspense', ofte med et realistisk udgangspunkt, men hvor handlingen tit bevæger sig i en 'fantastisk' retning.

Havde din bog været mere i retning af den dokumentariske realisme, havde du nok gjort forsøg på at forklare udviklingen, og dét kunne have været interessant, når man tager din store indsigt i albanske forhold i betragtning, men naturligvis respekterer jeg at du har haft et andet og mere psykologisk orienteret sigte med bogen.

Din bog har træk af både den dokumentarisk realistiske fremstilling og af spændingsromanen, den prøver at forene de to genrer. Sådan kan man selv sagt vælge at skrive, men det er ikke uden risiko, for den nysgerrige læser kan komme i stor tvivl om hvad der er realistisk i bogen - og hvad der ikke er det, hvad der er 'alvorligt' ment og hvad der har et rent underholdende sigte. Der er meget i din bog der har dokumentarisk værdi, men der er også meget som er ren fiktion. Noget af denne fiktion er troværdig (den KUNNE være sket), noget af den er ikke helt så troværdig - her tænker jeg både på det historisk-sociologisk og det psykologiske.

Det er OK at bruge levende personer i en fiktion, og sådan er der mange forfattere, også moderne, der gør - det skal blot gøres med forsigtighed, måske særligt når vi tidsmæssigt er så tæt på begivenhederne som vi er. Når du bruger Adem Jashari's udsending som aktiv figur i handlingen, synes jeg det er problematisk, fordi du dermed bruger ham til at give handlingen og planlægningen af undsætningsaktionen en særlig autenticitet, som den måske ikke kan bære. Det er vigtigt, eftersom aktionen er dårligt planlagt og gennemført. Dårligt planlagte og gennemførte aktioner ses tit i suspense-film, hvilket har den indlysende årsag at det skal gøre filmen så spændende som muligt; at det samtidig gør fremstillingen mindre realistisk, gør ikke så meget, når formålet kun er at give suspense. Selvfølgelig er der også mange eksempler på dårlig planlægning og gennemførelse i virkeligheden, men ansvarlige ledere prøver vel at undgå det?

Det er korrekt, som du replicerer, at albanere kan arve, og at der var - og er - albanere der er meget rige. Jeg kritiserer ikke at du nævner dette eller at du bruger det i bogen, men derimod at du bruger det som litterært kunstgreb i slutningen af bogen for at belønne din heltinde. Sådan gjorde Dickens også, sådan gør moderne forfattere med fødderne på jorden ikke. Der var også engang man kunne skrive at helten og heltinden levede lykkeligt til deres dages ende. Men sådan er verden ikke, heller ikke i Albanien.

Du foreslår mig at komme forbi, når jeg kommer til Albanien næste gang (formentlig i det tidlige efterår). Det vil jeg meget gerne, måske kunne jeg tage nogle interviews med dig om at leve i Albanien og om at forsøge sig som 'albansk' forfatter?

De bedste hilsener, Bjørn

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LANDE UDEN FOR BALKAN OG ØSTLIGE MIDDELHAV. IKKE NATO-LANDE


RUSLAND

UMs Rejsevejledning: http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Borgerservice/FoerRejsen/Rejsevejledninger/RejsevejledningRusland.htm

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KINA

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Information om »Sidste Nyt« »Sidste Nyt om Albanien, Kosóva og Makedonien« hører til et web-site om de Balkan-lande hvor der lever mange Albanere: http://bjoerna.dk/albanerne.htm. Her kan du også finde »gamle nyheder«, anmeldelser, links og en Balkan Brevkasse. »Sidste Nyt« sættes på nettet senest hver fredag morgen, hvor der sendes besked til dem der ønsker det. Bestilling / afbestilling sker ved at sende en e-mail med teksten »Nyheder udbedes« / »Nyheder afmeldes«. Nyheder, materiale, kommentarer og spørgsmål modtages meget gerne, både om småting og større ting. Send en e-mail. Tilsvarende hvis du opdager en fejl. Fejl vil blive rettet hurtigst muligt. »Sidste Nyt« og http://bjoerna.dk/albanerne.htm drives non-profit og uden finansiering »udefra«. Hvis du vil være med til at fiansiere udgivelsen kan du lettest gøre det ved at købe én eller flere af mine bøger. Send gerne en mail hvis der er - små eller store - tekniske problemer. Bemærkninger om EDB-sikkerhed. Du må citere hvis du angiver hovedsidens adresse: bjoerna.dk Siderne om Albanerne finder du på: bjoerna.dk/albanerne.htm

»To skridt frem? Albanien i en brydningstid« Baggrundsmateriale kan findes via: http://bjoerna.net/to-skridt-frem/#Linksamling »Albansk Almanak 2004« Almanak'en for 2004 er udkommet i december 2005. Her finder du nyhedsbrevene fra 2004 og nogle kommentarer. Bogen udgives i et sæt bestående af et hæfte (de første 77 sider) og en CD (alle 1264 sider). På CD'en også supplerende materiale - ikke mindst »1912 - Med den serbiske Armé i Makedonien« - Fritz Magnussen's beretninger v/ Palle Rossen. Se indholdsoversigt på: http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/almanak-2004.htm. Se pris på: Bestillingsliste. Udgaven for 2005 ventes at udkomme i april 2006. »Albanske Studier« bd. 1-2 Kommentarer til Bjøl, Huntington, Machiavelli, Sørlander, DUPI (Humanitær Intervention), Clausewitz, Mao Zedong, Lars R. Møller, Malcolm og flere andre. Englændere på rejse i Albanien: Edward Lear, Edith Durham og Robert Carver. Bøger om slægtsfejder og blodhævn. Diskussion af Anne Knudsen's disputats om blodhævn på Korsika og af Ismail Kadare's roman »Ufuldendt april«. Baggrundsmateriale om den Sønderjyske general Christian von Holstein, der deltog i Habsburgernes felttog ind i Kosóva i 1689-90. Sidst i bogen et forsøg på en sammenfatning i form af nogle 'grundlæggende synspunkter'. Desuden en kommentar til Hans Hækkerup's »På skansen«. På CD'en supplerende materiale om traditionelle Albanske klædedragter og om Holstein. Hans bog om Kosovo er omtalt i »Albansk Almanak 2004«. Du kan downloade indholdsfortegnelsen og kommentaren til »På skansen« fra: http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/studier-2002.htm Bogen findes i trykt form og på CD (som pdf-fil). Papirudgave 368 A4-sider i 2 bind. Bogen sælges som papirudgave m/ CD og som CD alene. Se pris på: Bestillingsliste. Til dig der kigger på et ældre nummer af »Sidste Nyt«. Seneste udgave af denne »annonce« kan ses på: »Sidste Nyt« (klik)