Tetova after Kosova - towards Greater Albania
1) “Great Albania”: A Project for Europe (Pyotr Iskenderov)
2) "Where there are more Albanians – there will be Albania. This will
happen if they start a separation of Kosovo. At the end of it all,
such development is to our benefit, since all Albanians will unite in
a single country..." (Faton Klinaku, Secretary of the Organization
of the KLA/UCK Veterans)
3) Chronology of Greater-Albanian terrorism and debate in FYROM,
August 2007:
- August 2, 2007: attack on police station located at Kosovo's border
- August 6, 2007: Terrorist attack on Macedonian Government's building
- August 13, 2007: Sixth anniversary of Ohrid Framework Agreement
- August 22, 2007: Runaways From Kosovo Dubrava Prison Hide In Macedonia
- August 23, 2007: Macedonia urges troika to consult it on Kosovo
- August 24-29, 2007: At least three Albanian villages to organize
referendums for separating from Macedonia
- August 29, 2007: ANA sends threats to all Albanian politicians in
Macedonia
- August 29, 2007: Doubts over Macedonia NATO membership invitation
in 2008 after worries that the crisis could easily spread to
Macedonia and Albania as well....
Source: R. Rozoff via Stop NATO - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato
=== 1 ===
http://en.fondsk.ru/article.php?id=867
Strategic Cultural Foundation
July 25, 2007
“Great Albania”: A Project for Europe
Pyotr Iskenderov
So, the secret is out.
The “premier” of the Kosovo government, the former
ringleader of the terrorist “Kosovo Liberation Army”
Agim Ceku has named the date, to which the Albanian
leaders of the province would time their declaration
of independence.
That is slated for November 28, 2007, when
neighbouring Albania will celebrate its principal
state holiday - Day of the Flag.
But the holiday has to do with Albania but indirectly.
It has long been viewed by the Albanian diaspora
scattered all over the world as Day of All Albanians.
To understand what Kosovo separatists mean by
selecting this particular date for declaring
independence, suffice it to recollect the two key
events in ALBANIAN history, not the history of a state
of Albanians but rather of their ethnic origins.
The first milestone is the period when the
All-Albanian Prizren League worked in 1878-1881.
Prizren is a town in Kosovo.
In September 1878 the leaders of the Prizren League
adopted a programme of unification of ALL Albanian
provinces into a single autonomous state and political
formation, introducing Albanian as the language to be
used for making official documents and for educational
purposes, as well as creation of the Albanian national
army.
Following that was the demand to establish a single
Albanian vilayet under the formal suzerainty of the
Turkish Sultan for the above purposes.
Using the slogan “United Albania for all Albanians”
their troops clashed with Turkish and Montenegro
armies that attempted to implement the decisions of
the 1878 Berlin Congress on the territorial rebuilding
of the Balkans.
The idea of the creating of an ethnic Albania was
rejuvenated in the autumn of 1912 when the armed
forces of the Balkan states led by Serbia liberated
the originally Slav lands from Turkey.
On November 18, 1912 leaders of the Albanian national
movement presented to diplomats from the great powers
in Istanbul what was called “The Call of the Albanian
Nation”.
It expressed the firm resolve of Albanians to fight
with an eye to “guaranteeing to the Albanian people
its ethnic and political existence.”
What the reference to “guarantees” meant was the
establishment of Albania in its ethnic borders and its
further international recognition.
A few days later in Vlera the National Assembly
gathered to declare Albania’s independence under the
banner of the Middle-Age Albanian hero Skanderbeg, a
black double-headed eagle on the red background.
Since then residents of Albania and Albanians in
Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Southern Serbia and
Greece regard this flag as their national symbol.
As early as 1913 a multi-colour map of “Ethnic
Albania” was disseminated in the Balkans that was
drawn by someone named Ahmet Gasi, also known as
“doctor” and “professor”.
The map showed the international borders of the
state-to-be that included Albania, all of Kosovo, the
greater part of Macedonia, a part of Greece and
Montenegro. Nowadays, all the bookstores in Pristina,
the administrative centre of Kosovo, feature this map
so that it could [attract] anyone willing to purchase
it.
The price is 5 euros.
The danger of such ethno-demographic “novelties” by
“professor “ Gasi and his present-day Albanian
followers should in no case be underestimated.
....
So far, they in most European capitals prefer to
disregard the danger that is looming over the European
continent.
They believe (or pretend to believe) the tales that
Kosovo Albanians would be satisfied enough to have
independence under the international supervision.
Meanwhile, they continue to believe that Albanian
riots in 2000-2001 in Macedonia and the Presevo valley
in the south of Serbia were caused by the oppression
of Skopje and Belgrade rather than viewing them as a
test of their muscles by the Great Albania
strategists.
Individual concerned voices are drowned out in the
choir of bombastic diplomats the likes of British
Foreign Secretary David Milliband, who calls on the EU
to take the “single and strong” stance on Kosovo,
supporting the “Ahtisaari” plan that suggests granting
independence to the Kosovo residents.
As for the date, November 28, Europeans have grown
accustomed to associate it with age-long history, if
they ever recollect it.
However, history has a habit of repeating itself, and
frequently in a more terrifying manner than before.
No one in the United States saw any tragic meaning of
the figures 9 and 11 only six years ago.
Is it absolutely out of the question for Europe, so
vain of its civilization, to begin writing its
comprehensive history from the date 11/28 ?
=== 2 ===
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120634
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
Separation of Kosovo will mean separation of Serbia,
Macedonia, Montenegro and Greece: AOK veteran
Pristina - Any separation of Kosovo will have to be
done in accordance with the international principles –
the right to self-definition, the ethnic principle or
the principle of the majority.
But these principles should not be used only for
Kosovo, but also for Presevo/Southern Serbia,
Macedonia and Montenegro.
This was said by Faton Klinaku, Secretary of the
Organization of the Veterans of the Army for the
Liberation of Kosovo [Kosovo Liberation Army].
"Where there are more Albanians – there will be
Albania.
"This will happen if they start a separation of
Kosovo. At the end of it all, such development is to
our benefit, since all Albanians will unite in a
single country," Klinaku said.
‘I whould also say that before 1999 the Albanians were
the majority in Northern Kosovo," Klinaku said.
After the war the UNMIK administration and the Kosovo
institutions were absent from that part of Kosovo.
This allowed Serbia to occupy these lands. In other
words, if there is no separation, the situation before
the war in 1999 should be taken into account, when the
Albanians were a majority in Northern Kosovo.
=== 3 ===
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=78123&NrIssue=413&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 2, 2007
Macedonian interior ministry confirms attack on police
station located at Kosovo's border
Skopje - Macedonian police have confirmed reports of
gunshots directed toward the police station located in
the vicinity of the Macedonia-Kosovo border as well as
hand grenades exploding not far from the station.
Nobody was injured in the incident that took place
Tuesday at about 20:45 hrs, when unidentified persons
opened gunfire toward the police station in the
village of Goshince. Several bullets ended up in the
station's premises.
Concurrently, several hand grenade detonations had
occurred at about 50-100 meters distance.
Police revealed no further details.
---
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=78462&NrIssue=417&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 6, 2007
Terrorist attack on Macedonian Government's building
Skopje - An armed terrorist attack on the building of
the Macedonian Government took place last night, the
Government's spokesman said, and the Police confirmed
the incident.
Spokesman Ivica Bocevski told Makfax that the
Government's building was hit by two rifle grenades
last night, a half an hour past midnight. He explained
that the grenades of South African origin, were fired
from a distance of 400 meters.
The incident left no one injured, and there is still
no information as to the material damage.
"The Government wants to send a message to all who
participated in the terrorist attack that some day or
other, they will end up behind bars. The attackers
should know - we received the message, but the
Government will remain steadfastly on the current
course", Bocevski said.
The Interior Ministry confirmed the attack and
announced releasing of an official statement soon.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/06/europe/EU-GEN-Macedonia-
Grenade-Attack.php
Associated Press
August 6, 2007
2 grenades explode near Macedonian government
building; no injuries
SKOPJE, Macedonia - Two rocket-propelled grenades
exploded near the headquarters of the Macedonian
government and the neighboring Japanese Consulate in
downtown Skopje overnight, a government spokesman said
Monday. No casualties or damage were reported.
"The government wants to send a message to all who
participated in the terrorist attack: they will end up
behind bars," said government spokesman Ivica
Bocevski.
He said the attack took place at 12:30 a.m. One of the
grenades exploded in front of the Japanese Consulate,
and the other hit the top of a tree near the
government headquarters, police spokesman Ivo Kotevski
said.
Kotevski and Bocevski both said the target was
believed to be the government building rather than the
consulate. The motive was unclear.
The government building houses Cabinet offices and
several ministries.
"The grenades were of South African origin and the
preliminary investigation shows the grenades were
fired from a distance of 400 meters," Kotevski said.
Police were investigating the attack.
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=78471&NrIssue=417&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 6, 2007
Interior Ministry steps up security after attack on
Government's building
Skopje - The Macedonian Police announced tightening of
security measures to protect the state institutions
after confirming that two grenades exploded in the
immediate vicinity of the building of the Government
of the Republic of Macedonia shortly after midnight
last nigh.
"The first one exploded on Orce Nikolov St, after
hitting the upper branches of a tree. The second one
went off after running into in a concrete wall just
outside the Japanese Consulate located across from the
Government's building", Interior Ministry announced.
An expert tem of the Anti-Terror Squad took fragments
of the grenades after the incident.
"The forensics examination established that the
grenades fired from a 40mm hand-held grenade launcher
with maximum range of 450 meters were in question. The
analysis indicate that the grenades originate from the
South African Republic", the Ministry said in the
announcement.
The Police are conducting an operation aimed at
discovering the motives for the attack and tracking
down the perpetrators.
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/08/4-SEE/see-070807.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
August 7, 2007
Southeastern Europe
GRENADES FIRED AT MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Two grenades were fired at a government building in
Skopje early on August 6 in what the Macedonian
authorities described as a "terrorist attack,"
Macedonian media reported.
Government spokesman Ivica Bocevski said the South
African-made grenades were fired from a distance of
400 meters but landed 100 meters short of the
building, the news agency Makfax reported.
No one was injured.
Bocevski did not say who the authorities believe might
have launched the attack. There has been no similar
attack n recent years, but the timing of the attack
will add to concerns about violence in Kosova could
reignite the separatist violence seen in Macedonia in
2001.
Ethnic-Albanian veterans of that conflict recently
vowed to fight alongside Kosovar Albanians if Kosova
is denied independence.
In the latest demonstration of support for Kosova,
several thousand Albanian Macedonians rallied on
August 3 in Tetovo, the epicenter of the 2001
conflict. AG
---
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=79107&NrIssue=423&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 13, 2007
Sixth anniversary of Framework Agreement
Skopje - On this day six years ago, the Ohrid
Framework Agreement was signed.
It put an end to the armed conflict in Macedonia and
became one of the country's key documents, whose
implementation determines greatly the Euro-Atlantic
future of the country.
The parties constituting the broad governing coalition
at the time, endorsed the Agreement on 13 August,
2001. It paved the way to numerous alterations to the
constitution and legislature with prime focus on
increased rights and representation of the community
of Albanian minority in the state institutions.
The leaders of the parties comprising the coalition at
the time - Ljubco Georgievski, Branko Crvenkovski,
Imer Imeri, Arben Xhaferi, along with the late
president Boris Trajkovski, put their signatures on
the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
US and the European Union co-signed the Agreement as
guarantors of its implementation.
The armed conflict in Macedonia started on 17
February, 2007, when a paramilitary group of Albanians
made an incursion in the village of Tanushevci,
situated at the border with Serbia in the part towards
Kosovo.
In a few weeks' time, the armed clashes spread towards
the Kumanovo-Lipkovo and Tetovo areas.
The fiercest battles including heavy artillery and
airborne units took place near the villages of Radusha
and Arachinovo in the last two months of the
eight-month conflict.
Macedonian security forces waged war against the
paramilitary units of the National Liberation Army
(NLA), which derived from Kosovo's KLA.
After the conflict, NLA's leadership formed a
political party - Democratic Union for Integration
(DUI). The party of the NLA's leader Ali Ahmeti became
an ally of the ruling coalition that included Social
Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM) and the
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
As many as 120 soldiers, policemen and army reservists
were killed in the conflict. The death toll of the
other warring party remained unknown to this day,
nevertheless, the estimates range at about 1.200
killed members of NLA.
The conflict left thousands of internally displaced
persons, including hundreds of Macedonians and Serbs
who are still unable to return to their homes in the
Lipkovo region.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120078
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 22, 2007
Dnevnik: Runaways From Kosovo Dubrava Prison Hide In
Macedonia
Skopje - Ramadan Siti, 24, and Limir Jakupi a.k.a. the
Nazi, 30, and the rest of the five prisoners who
managed to escape from the Dubrava Prison in Kosovo
are hiding in Macedonia, in the vicinity of
Tanusevski, the Macedonian Dnevnik newspaper reported,
citing anonymous sources.
The Macedonian Ministry of Interior does not reject
the possibility that the group of criminals has
entered Macedonian territory, but it has not received
any confirmed information on the case.
According to the newspaper’s sources, the group of
criminals has been released from prison under a
scenario planned in advance, with the assistance of
certain structures, which aim at destabilization of
the region, if the negotiation process for Kosovo’s
independence follows some wrong direction.
Several former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army
watch closely the development of the Kosovo issue, and
they are ready for action.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120188
Agence France-Presse
August 23, 2007
Macedonia urges troika to consult it on Kosovo
Skopje - Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski on
Thursday called on the international community to
consult his country about the future status of Kosovo.
"Macedonia will launch an initiative to the US, EU and
Russia to organise a meeting with representatives of
this region including Macedonia," Crvenkovski said
after a meeting of Macedonia's security council
dedicated to Kosovo.
He stressed, however, that "at this moment, there are
no indications of any serious threats to the security
of Macedonia."
An international troika - composed of representatives
of the United States, the European Union and Russia -
has launched a new round of negotiations on the final
status of the UN-run Serbian province of Kosovo.
Its 90-percent ethnic Albanian population wants
independence, an option staunchly opposed by Serbia.
Some observers in Macedonia fear that granting Kosovo
independence will lead to tensions in the former
Yugoslav republic, which itself has a 25-percent
ethnic Albanian population.
---
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=80480&NrIssue=433&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 24, 2007
Xhezair Shaqiri - Hoxha: Tanusevci wants annexation to
Kosovo
Skopje - Tanusevci wants to break off from Macedonia
to accede to Kosovo, for which goal the inhabitants of
the village will set up a referendum.
The Skopje-based Albanian language daily "Fakti" said
that this was announced by the President of the
National Democratic Union, Xhezair Shaqiri, known as
Komandant Hoxha during the 2001 Conflict.
Elaborating the idea of a referendum, Shaqiri accused
Macedonia's authorities of not showing any interest in
this part of the country over the past 17 years.
"The Government of Macedonia did not show any interest
for this part of the country, that is why we are
seeking to accede to Kosovo. We are also linked with
this country geographically and have many family
ties", Shaqiri said.
He warned that the Macedonian Police were not welcomed
in Tanusevci as the village was controlled by the
inhabitants themselves, revealing no exact number of
those who carry out those controls.
Shaqiri dismissed suspicions that the escaped inmates
of the Kosovo's prison of Dubrava, Lirim Jakupi and
Ramadan Shiti, found their safe haven in Tanusevci.
In the same article, "Fakti" said that the Interior
Ministry rejected such descriptions of the situation
in Tanusevci as false.
http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n120334
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 25, 2007
Macedonian press: Is new destabilization ahead in
Macedonia?
Skopje - Yesterday’s statement by the former MP
Xhezair Sakiri that Tanusevci wanted to separate from
Macedonia and join Kosovo through holding a referendum
is the leading topic in the Macedonian press.
The newspapers link the event to other two recent
worrying pieces of news – escaped terrorism convicts
from Dubrava prison in Kosovo, and another escaped
terrorism convict from Idrizovo prison in Skopje, and
to the upcoming new negotiations for Kosovo’s future
status and to a possible destabilization in Macedonia
and the region.
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120687
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
Two more Albanian villages to organize referendums for
separating from Macedonia
Skopje - After the village of Tanusevci, now two more
villages – Brest and Malino - have also stated they
would organize referendums for their separation from
Macedonia and for joining Kosovo, Xhezair Shaqiri has
told the Albanian language daily “Laim”, the
Macedonian Vreme daily reports.
According to Shaqiri, petitions have already been
started in these villages and the preparations for
referendums are already underway.
The former MP and chairman of the People’s Democratic
Party and present deputy chairman of Hisni Shaqiri’s
party, says that the Macedonian police have demanded
to enter Tanusevci but he has denied [them].
“The Macedonian police wanted to enter the village
through KFOR. KFOR representatives told me about the
police request and I told them that KFOR may enter the
village and stay there for years on end, but there is
no room for the Macedonian police”, Shaqiri said.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120686
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
ANA sends threats to all Albanian politicians in
Macedonia
Skopje - The Albanian National Army (ANA) has sent
threats to all Albanian politicians in Macedonia
because “they work with Slav Macedonian colonizers”,
the Macedonian Vreme daily informed, citing a release
by the ANA published on Albanian Internet websites.
The former chairman of the organization Fagur Adili
stated that the next war will not be [with] a power
without a state - like the Albanian parties in
Macedonia - nor would it be for Ilirida [Illyria], but
for the unification of all the territories of
Albanians.
According to Adili the stages according to which this
unification will be achieved have been pointed out in
the ANA’s program.
Other similar texts have appeared recently on Albanian
Internet websites which also call for the unification
of Albanian territories, the edition comments.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n120650
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
A1: Doubts over Macedonia NATO membership invitation
in 2008
Skopje - There is some possibility that Macedonia will
not receive an invitation for NATO membership at the
Summit in Bucharest in 2008, high standing diplomatic
sources have told the Macedonian A1 TV channel.
This turn in the recent optimism could be explained by
the still unsolved issue about Kosovo' status.
There are also worries that the crisis could easily
spread to Macedonia and Albania as well, and this is
instability that NATO could not afford in member
states.
That is why there is a variant for the next Summit to
apply the formula 1+2, i.e., Croatia to receive an
invitation, while space for maneuvers will be left for
Macedonia and Albania and their invitation to be sent
after the Kosovo issue is solved.
The diplomatic sources have told A1 that security is
of high importance in the variant in which Macedonia
is left in the waiting room, though it enjoys the open
support of both Washington and Brussels.
1) “Great Albania”: A Project for Europe (Pyotr Iskenderov)
2) "Where there are more Albanians – there will be Albania. This will
happen if they start a separation of Kosovo. At the end of it all,
such development is to our benefit, since all Albanians will unite in
a single country..." (Faton Klinaku, Secretary of the Organization
of the KLA/UCK Veterans)
3) Chronology of Greater-Albanian terrorism and debate in FYROM,
August 2007:
- August 2, 2007: attack on police station located at Kosovo's border
- August 6, 2007: Terrorist attack on Macedonian Government's building
- August 13, 2007: Sixth anniversary of Ohrid Framework Agreement
- August 22, 2007: Runaways From Kosovo Dubrava Prison Hide In Macedonia
- August 23, 2007: Macedonia urges troika to consult it on Kosovo
- August 24-29, 2007: At least three Albanian villages to organize
referendums for separating from Macedonia
- August 29, 2007: ANA sends threats to all Albanian politicians in
Macedonia
- August 29, 2007: Doubts over Macedonia NATO membership invitation
in 2008 after worries that the crisis could easily spread to
Macedonia and Albania as well....
Source: R. Rozoff via Stop NATO - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato
=== 1 ===
http://en.fondsk.ru/article.php?id=867
Strategic Cultural Foundation
July 25, 2007
“Great Albania”: A Project for Europe
Pyotr Iskenderov
So, the secret is out.
The “premier” of the Kosovo government, the former
ringleader of the terrorist “Kosovo Liberation Army”
Agim Ceku has named the date, to which the Albanian
leaders of the province would time their declaration
of independence.
That is slated for November 28, 2007, when
neighbouring Albania will celebrate its principal
state holiday - Day of the Flag.
But the holiday has to do with Albania but indirectly.
It has long been viewed by the Albanian diaspora
scattered all over the world as Day of All Albanians.
To understand what Kosovo separatists mean by
selecting this particular date for declaring
independence, suffice it to recollect the two key
events in ALBANIAN history, not the history of a state
of Albanians but rather of their ethnic origins.
The first milestone is the period when the
All-Albanian Prizren League worked in 1878-1881.
Prizren is a town in Kosovo.
In September 1878 the leaders of the Prizren League
adopted a programme of unification of ALL Albanian
provinces into a single autonomous state and political
formation, introducing Albanian as the language to be
used for making official documents and for educational
purposes, as well as creation of the Albanian national
army.
Following that was the demand to establish a single
Albanian vilayet under the formal suzerainty of the
Turkish Sultan for the above purposes.
Using the slogan “United Albania for all Albanians”
their troops clashed with Turkish and Montenegro
armies that attempted to implement the decisions of
the 1878 Berlin Congress on the territorial rebuilding
of the Balkans.
The idea of the creating of an ethnic Albania was
rejuvenated in the autumn of 1912 when the armed
forces of the Balkan states led by Serbia liberated
the originally Slav lands from Turkey.
On November 18, 1912 leaders of the Albanian national
movement presented to diplomats from the great powers
in Istanbul what was called “The Call of the Albanian
Nation”.
It expressed the firm resolve of Albanians to fight
with an eye to “guaranteeing to the Albanian people
its ethnic and political existence.”
What the reference to “guarantees” meant was the
establishment of Albania in its ethnic borders and its
further international recognition.
A few days later in Vlera the National Assembly
gathered to declare Albania’s independence under the
banner of the Middle-Age Albanian hero Skanderbeg, a
black double-headed eagle on the red background.
Since then residents of Albania and Albanians in
Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Southern Serbia and
Greece regard this flag as their national symbol.
As early as 1913 a multi-colour map of “Ethnic
Albania” was disseminated in the Balkans that was
drawn by someone named Ahmet Gasi, also known as
“doctor” and “professor”.
The map showed the international borders of the
state-to-be that included Albania, all of Kosovo, the
greater part of Macedonia, a part of Greece and
Montenegro. Nowadays, all the bookstores in Pristina,
the administrative centre of Kosovo, feature this map
so that it could [attract] anyone willing to purchase
it.
The price is 5 euros.
The danger of such ethno-demographic “novelties” by
“professor “ Gasi and his present-day Albanian
followers should in no case be underestimated.
....
So far, they in most European capitals prefer to
disregard the danger that is looming over the European
continent.
They believe (or pretend to believe) the tales that
Kosovo Albanians would be satisfied enough to have
independence under the international supervision.
Meanwhile, they continue to believe that Albanian
riots in 2000-2001 in Macedonia and the Presevo valley
in the south of Serbia were caused by the oppression
of Skopje and Belgrade rather than viewing them as a
test of their muscles by the Great Albania
strategists.
Individual concerned voices are drowned out in the
choir of bombastic diplomats the likes of British
Foreign Secretary David Milliband, who calls on the EU
to take the “single and strong” stance on Kosovo,
supporting the “Ahtisaari” plan that suggests granting
independence to the Kosovo residents.
As for the date, November 28, Europeans have grown
accustomed to associate it with age-long history, if
they ever recollect it.
However, history has a habit of repeating itself, and
frequently in a more terrifying manner than before.
No one in the United States saw any tragic meaning of
the figures 9 and 11 only six years ago.
Is it absolutely out of the question for Europe, so
vain of its civilization, to begin writing its
comprehensive history from the date 11/28 ?
=== 2 ===
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120634
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
Separation of Kosovo will mean separation of Serbia,
Macedonia, Montenegro and Greece: AOK veteran
Pristina - Any separation of Kosovo will have to be
done in accordance with the international principles –
the right to self-definition, the ethnic principle or
the principle of the majority.
But these principles should not be used only for
Kosovo, but also for Presevo/Southern Serbia,
Macedonia and Montenegro.
This was said by Faton Klinaku, Secretary of the
Organization of the Veterans of the Army for the
Liberation of Kosovo [Kosovo Liberation Army].
"Where there are more Albanians – there will be
Albania.
"This will happen if they start a separation of
Kosovo. At the end of it all, such development is to
our benefit, since all Albanians will unite in a
single country," Klinaku said.
‘I whould also say that before 1999 the Albanians were
the majority in Northern Kosovo," Klinaku said.
After the war the UNMIK administration and the Kosovo
institutions were absent from that part of Kosovo.
This allowed Serbia to occupy these lands. In other
words, if there is no separation, the situation before
the war in 1999 should be taken into account, when the
Albanians were a majority in Northern Kosovo.
=== 3 ===
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=78123&NrIssue=413&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 2, 2007
Macedonian interior ministry confirms attack on police
station located at Kosovo's border
Skopje - Macedonian police have confirmed reports of
gunshots directed toward the police station located in
the vicinity of the Macedonia-Kosovo border as well as
hand grenades exploding not far from the station.
Nobody was injured in the incident that took place
Tuesday at about 20:45 hrs, when unidentified persons
opened gunfire toward the police station in the
village of Goshince. Several bullets ended up in the
station's premises.
Concurrently, several hand grenade detonations had
occurred at about 50-100 meters distance.
Police revealed no further details.
---
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=78462&NrIssue=417&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 6, 2007
Terrorist attack on Macedonian Government's building
Skopje - An armed terrorist attack on the building of
the Macedonian Government took place last night, the
Government's spokesman said, and the Police confirmed
the incident.
Spokesman Ivica Bocevski told Makfax that the
Government's building was hit by two rifle grenades
last night, a half an hour past midnight. He explained
that the grenades of South African origin, were fired
from a distance of 400 meters.
The incident left no one injured, and there is still
no information as to the material damage.
"The Government wants to send a message to all who
participated in the terrorist attack that some day or
other, they will end up behind bars. The attackers
should know - we received the message, but the
Government will remain steadfastly on the current
course", Bocevski said.
The Interior Ministry confirmed the attack and
announced releasing of an official statement soon.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/06/europe/EU-GEN-Macedonia-
Grenade-Attack.php
Associated Press
August 6, 2007
2 grenades explode near Macedonian government
building; no injuries
SKOPJE, Macedonia - Two rocket-propelled grenades
exploded near the headquarters of the Macedonian
government and the neighboring Japanese Consulate in
downtown Skopje overnight, a government spokesman said
Monday. No casualties or damage were reported.
"The government wants to send a message to all who
participated in the terrorist attack: they will end up
behind bars," said government spokesman Ivica
Bocevski.
He said the attack took place at 12:30 a.m. One of the
grenades exploded in front of the Japanese Consulate,
and the other hit the top of a tree near the
government headquarters, police spokesman Ivo Kotevski
said.
Kotevski and Bocevski both said the target was
believed to be the government building rather than the
consulate. The motive was unclear.
The government building houses Cabinet offices and
several ministries.
"The grenades were of South African origin and the
preliminary investigation shows the grenades were
fired from a distance of 400 meters," Kotevski said.
Police were investigating the attack.
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=78471&NrIssue=417&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 6, 2007
Interior Ministry steps up security after attack on
Government's building
Skopje - The Macedonian Police announced tightening of
security measures to protect the state institutions
after confirming that two grenades exploded in the
immediate vicinity of the building of the Government
of the Republic of Macedonia shortly after midnight
last nigh.
"The first one exploded on Orce Nikolov St, after
hitting the upper branches of a tree. The second one
went off after running into in a concrete wall just
outside the Japanese Consulate located across from the
Government's building", Interior Ministry announced.
An expert tem of the Anti-Terror Squad took fragments
of the grenades after the incident.
"The forensics examination established that the
grenades fired from a 40mm hand-held grenade launcher
with maximum range of 450 meters were in question. The
analysis indicate that the grenades originate from the
South African Republic", the Ministry said in the
announcement.
The Police are conducting an operation aimed at
discovering the motives for the attack and tracking
down the perpetrators.
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/08/4-SEE/see-070807.asp
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
August 7, 2007
Southeastern Europe
GRENADES FIRED AT MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Two grenades were fired at a government building in
Skopje early on August 6 in what the Macedonian
authorities described as a "terrorist attack,"
Macedonian media reported.
Government spokesman Ivica Bocevski said the South
African-made grenades were fired from a distance of
400 meters but landed 100 meters short of the
building, the news agency Makfax reported.
No one was injured.
Bocevski did not say who the authorities believe might
have launched the attack. There has been no similar
attack n recent years, but the timing of the attack
will add to concerns about violence in Kosova could
reignite the separatist violence seen in Macedonia in
2001.
Ethnic-Albanian veterans of that conflict recently
vowed to fight alongside Kosovar Albanians if Kosova
is denied independence.
In the latest demonstration of support for Kosova,
several thousand Albanian Macedonians rallied on
August 3 in Tetovo, the epicenter of the 2001
conflict. AG
---
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=79107&NrIssue=423&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 13, 2007
Sixth anniversary of Framework Agreement
Skopje - On this day six years ago, the Ohrid
Framework Agreement was signed.
It put an end to the armed conflict in Macedonia and
became one of the country's key documents, whose
implementation determines greatly the Euro-Atlantic
future of the country.
The parties constituting the broad governing coalition
at the time, endorsed the Agreement on 13 August,
2001. It paved the way to numerous alterations to the
constitution and legislature with prime focus on
increased rights and representation of the community
of Albanian minority in the state institutions.
The leaders of the parties comprising the coalition at
the time - Ljubco Georgievski, Branko Crvenkovski,
Imer Imeri, Arben Xhaferi, along with the late
president Boris Trajkovski, put their signatures on
the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
US and the European Union co-signed the Agreement as
guarantors of its implementation.
The armed conflict in Macedonia started on 17
February, 2007, when a paramilitary group of Albanians
made an incursion in the village of Tanushevci,
situated at the border with Serbia in the part towards
Kosovo.
In a few weeks' time, the armed clashes spread towards
the Kumanovo-Lipkovo and Tetovo areas.
The fiercest battles including heavy artillery and
airborne units took place near the villages of Radusha
and Arachinovo in the last two months of the
eight-month conflict.
Macedonian security forces waged war against the
paramilitary units of the National Liberation Army
(NLA), which derived from Kosovo's KLA.
After the conflict, NLA's leadership formed a
political party - Democratic Union for Integration
(DUI). The party of the NLA's leader Ali Ahmeti became
an ally of the ruling coalition that included Social
Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM) and the
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
As many as 120 soldiers, policemen and army reservists
were killed in the conflict. The death toll of the
other warring party remained unknown to this day,
nevertheless, the estimates range at about 1.200
killed members of NLA.
The conflict left thousands of internally displaced
persons, including hundreds of Macedonians and Serbs
who are still unable to return to their homes in the
Lipkovo region.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120078
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 22, 2007
Dnevnik: Runaways From Kosovo Dubrava Prison Hide In
Macedonia
Skopje - Ramadan Siti, 24, and Limir Jakupi a.k.a. the
Nazi, 30, and the rest of the five prisoners who
managed to escape from the Dubrava Prison in Kosovo
are hiding in Macedonia, in the vicinity of
Tanusevski, the Macedonian Dnevnik newspaper reported,
citing anonymous sources.
The Macedonian Ministry of Interior does not reject
the possibility that the group of criminals has
entered Macedonian territory, but it has not received
any confirmed information on the case.
According to the newspaper’s sources, the group of
criminals has been released from prison under a
scenario planned in advance, with the assistance of
certain structures, which aim at destabilization of
the region, if the negotiation process for Kosovo’s
independence follows some wrong direction.
Several former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army
watch closely the development of the Kosovo issue, and
they are ready for action.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120188
Agence France-Presse
August 23, 2007
Macedonia urges troika to consult it on Kosovo
Skopje - Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski on
Thursday called on the international community to
consult his country about the future status of Kosovo.
"Macedonia will launch an initiative to the US, EU and
Russia to organise a meeting with representatives of
this region including Macedonia," Crvenkovski said
after a meeting of Macedonia's security council
dedicated to Kosovo.
He stressed, however, that "at this moment, there are
no indications of any serious threats to the security
of Macedonia."
An international troika - composed of representatives
of the United States, the European Union and Russia -
has launched a new round of negotiations on the final
status of the UN-run Serbian province of Kosovo.
Its 90-percent ethnic Albanian population wants
independence, an option staunchly opposed by Serbia.
Some observers in Macedonia fear that granting Kosovo
independence will lead to tensions in the former
Yugoslav republic, which itself has a 25-percent
ethnic Albanian population.
---
http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?
IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=80480&NrIssue=433&NrSection=10
MakFax (Macedonia)
August 24, 2007
Xhezair Shaqiri - Hoxha: Tanusevci wants annexation to
Kosovo
Skopje - Tanusevci wants to break off from Macedonia
to accede to Kosovo, for which goal the inhabitants of
the village will set up a referendum.
The Skopje-based Albanian language daily "Fakti" said
that this was announced by the President of the
National Democratic Union, Xhezair Shaqiri, known as
Komandant Hoxha during the 2001 Conflict.
Elaborating the idea of a referendum, Shaqiri accused
Macedonia's authorities of not showing any interest in
this part of the country over the past 17 years.
"The Government of Macedonia did not show any interest
for this part of the country, that is why we are
seeking to accede to Kosovo. We are also linked with
this country geographically and have many family
ties", Shaqiri said.
He warned that the Macedonian Police were not welcomed
in Tanusevci as the village was controlled by the
inhabitants themselves, revealing no exact number of
those who carry out those controls.
Shaqiri dismissed suspicions that the escaped inmates
of the Kosovo's prison of Dubrava, Lirim Jakupi and
Ramadan Shiti, found their safe haven in Tanusevci.
In the same article, "Fakti" said that the Interior
Ministry rejected such descriptions of the situation
in Tanusevci as false.
http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n120334
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 25, 2007
Macedonian press: Is new destabilization ahead in
Macedonia?
Skopje - Yesterday’s statement by the former MP
Xhezair Sakiri that Tanusevci wanted to separate from
Macedonia and join Kosovo through holding a referendum
is the leading topic in the Macedonian press.
The newspapers link the event to other two recent
worrying pieces of news – escaped terrorism convicts
from Dubrava prison in Kosovo, and another escaped
terrorism convict from Idrizovo prison in Skopje, and
to the upcoming new negotiations for Kosovo’s future
status and to a possible destabilization in Macedonia
and the region.
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120687
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
Two more Albanian villages to organize referendums for
separating from Macedonia
Skopje - After the village of Tanusevci, now two more
villages – Brest and Malino - have also stated they
would organize referendums for their separation from
Macedonia and for joining Kosovo, Xhezair Shaqiri has
told the Albanian language daily “Laim”, the
Macedonian Vreme daily reports.
According to Shaqiri, petitions have already been
started in these villages and the preparations for
referendums are already underway.
The former MP and chairman of the People’s Democratic
Party and present deputy chairman of Hisni Shaqiri’s
party, says that the Macedonian police have demanded
to enter Tanusevci but he has denied [them].
“The Macedonian police wanted to enter the village
through KFOR. KFOR representatives told me about the
police request and I told them that KFOR may enter the
village and stay there for years on end, but there is
no room for the Macedonian police”, Shaqiri said.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n120686
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
ANA sends threats to all Albanian politicians in
Macedonia
Skopje - The Albanian National Army (ANA) has sent
threats to all Albanian politicians in Macedonia
because “they work with Slav Macedonian colonizers”,
the Macedonian Vreme daily informed, citing a release
by the ANA published on Albanian Internet websites.
The former chairman of the organization Fagur Adili
stated that the next war will not be [with] a power
without a state - like the Albanian parties in
Macedonia - nor would it be for Ilirida [Illyria], but
for the unification of all the territories of
Albanians.
According to Adili the stages according to which this
unification will be achieved have been pointed out in
the ANA’s program.
Other similar texts have appeared recently on Albanian
Internet websites which also call for the unification
of Albanian territories, the edition comments.
---
http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n120650
Focus News Agency (Bulgaria)
August 29, 2007
A1: Doubts over Macedonia NATO membership invitation
in 2008
Skopje - There is some possibility that Macedonia will
not receive an invitation for NATO membership at the
Summit in Bucharest in 2008, high standing diplomatic
sources have told the Macedonian A1 TV channel.
This turn in the recent optimism could be explained by
the still unsolved issue about Kosovo' status.
There are also worries that the crisis could easily
spread to Macedonia and Albania as well, and this is
instability that NATO could not afford in member
states.
That is why there is a variant for the next Summit to
apply the formula 1+2, i.e., Croatia to receive an
invitation, while space for maneuvers will be left for
Macedonia and Albania and their invitation to be sent
after the Kosovo issue is solved.
The diplomatic sources have told A1 that security is
of high importance in the variant in which Macedonia
is left in the waiting room, though it enjoys the open
support of both Washington and Brussels.