21.2.2007 by CrniLabudovi.

OSCE Skopje Mission supports opening of first police office in Roma-majority municipality Shuto Orizari

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SKOPJE, 21 February 2007 - With the financial help of the United Kingdom Embassy and support of the OSCE Mission, the first police office in the mainly Roma-populated municipality of Shuto Orizari opened its doors today.

The opening of the new office, which will be staffed by an ethnically mixed police team, forms part of a joint initiative by the country’s Interior Ministry and the Shuto Orizari municipality.

“For several years, the international community concentrated its efforts on the development of policies to promote Roma and Sinti integration into mainstream communities. The opening of this police office will not only increase the efficiency of the police work in the municipality, it will also strengthen the confidence between the police and the Roma community,” said Pierre Chassagne, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission’s Police Development Unit.

Erdogan Iseni, mayor of Shuto Orizari, underlined how highly appreciated the international support was: “This event is of great importance for us. The citizens of our municipality can only benefit from the new police office, since police services will be brought closer to the community.”

The initiative also helps with the implementation of the Organization’s “Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area”, which mentions policing in Roma communities as a specific concern.

As other OSCE participating States, the country is implementing its own National Action Plan on the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015.

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Citizens in the mainly Roma-populated municipality of Shuto Orizari will benefit from the first police office opened in the area, 21 February 2007. (OSCE/Graziella Pavone)

http://www.osce.org/item/23376.html 

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Culture and Sports: Balkan filmmakers

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

Culture and Sports: Balkan filmmakers, actors honoured at Berlin Film Festival

21/02/2007

Bulgarian-born director Ralitza Petrova won the award for best short movie, while two Turkish films also won prizes. Also this week: Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic finishes second at the San Jose ATP tennis tournament, and members of Macedonia’s Turkish community are honoured for their accomplishments.

Ivan Barnev. [Getty Images]

A Bulgarian-born director now living in London has won the Prix-UIP Berlin award for best short film at the 57th Berlin Film Festival, which wrapped up on February 18th. Ralitza Petrova won the prize for her film “Rotten Apple”. Also in the short film category, the Turkish director Nesimi Yetik received the DAAD Short Film Award for his “Annem Sinema Ogreniyor”. In the Panorama section, the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique (FIPRESCI) jury prize went to another Turkish film, Fatih Akin and Ozer Kiziltan’s “Takva — A Man’s Fear of God”. Meanwhile, the Czech film “I Served the King of England”, starring the young Bulgarian actor Ivan Barnev, won the FIPRESCI jury’s prize in the Competition programme.

***

An exhibition of works by the young Bosnian artist Renato Rakic opened at the Banski Dvor Culture Centre in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, last week. It presents a cycle of drawings by Rakic, titled “Caput” (”Head”).

***

Croatian tennis player Ivo Karlovic lost his match against Britain’s Andy Murray in the finals of the San Jose ATP tournament, on February 19th. This was the second ATP final for Karlovic, who turns 28 later this month.

***

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus was runner-up in the Marseille Open ATP tennis finals, held in France on February 18th. Baghdatis lost to France’s Gilles Simon, 6-4, 7-6. Earlier this month, Baghdatis won the Zagreb Open.

***

Carnivals took place in several Greek cities, including Athens, Thessaloniki, Xanthi and Patras, at the weekend, drawing thousands of people. The events included street parades, dance performances and revivals of old customs.

***

Macedonia’s Association for Development of Turkish-Language Media issued the traditional Kutluk Veli Awards to 12 representatives of the ethnic Turk community in the country for their contributions during 2006. Among others, wrestling referee Nesret Liman was acknowledged in the Sports category, Mustafa Jasar in the Arts category and musical pedagogy specialist Aida Islam in the Sciences one. Actor Museref Lozana won the award for lifetime achievement.

***

An exhibition featuring Serbian native art was opened at the European Commission in Brussels. It includes over 70 works by 40 Serbian artists. The exhibition was co-organised by the Kovacevica-based Babka Gallery with the support of the Serbian government.

***

An art exhibition titled “Bad Girl: Sexuality in Western Art” by Serbian artist Ana Nedeljkovic opened at the Belgrade Youth Centre’s gallery on February 20th. The author says her work is based on the book “Sexuality in Western Art” by Edward Lucie-Smith. The exhibition will continue until March 4th.

Various sources – 14/02/07-21/02/07

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Building collapses in Istanbul

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

Building collapses in Istanbul

21/02/2007

ISTANBUL, Turkey — An apartment building collapsed in Istanbul early on Wednesday (February 21st) killing one woman and injuring 26 others. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said at least 27 people lived in the building, which had been slated for demolition. Some media reports say the five-story structure was heavily damaged in a 1999 earthquake, while others suggest that adjacent construction might have weakened the building’s foundations. (AP, BBC, Reuters - 21/02/07)

ürkei

Zwei Tote bei Hauseinsturz in Istanbul

Wie ein Kartenhaus zusammengefallen: Wohnhaus in Istanbul

21. Februar 2007 
Beim Einsturz eines fünfstöckigen Wohnhauses in Istanbul sind in der Nacht zum Mittwoch zwei Frauen getötet und 26 weitere Bewohner verletzt worden.

Nachdem eine 36 Jahre alte Frau noch in der Nacht ihren schweren Verletzungen erlegen war, holten die Rettungsmannschaften am frühen Morgen die Leiche einer weiteren Frau aus den Trümmern. Ein sieben Jahre alter Junge werde in kritischem Zustand auf der Intensivstation eines Krankenhauses behandelt, teilte Provinzgouverneur Muammer Güler an der Unglücksstelle mit.

27 Bewohner gemeldet

In dem Haus waren nach Angaben der Behörden 27 Bewohner gemeldet. Der Grund des Einsturzes ist bisher noch unklar. Der Bürgermeister des betroffenen Stadtbezirks Zeytinburnu im europäischen Teil der Zwölf-Millionen-Stadt widersprach Behauptungen, dass das Gebäude bei einem Erdbeben Schaden genommen habe und behördlich versiegelt worden sei. Der Einsturz sei von einer Stelle im Erdgeschoss ausgegangen, an der sich früher eine Bäckerei befunden habe.

Erst Anfang des Monats waren in der südosttürkischen Stadt Diyarbakir fünf Menschen beim Einsturz eines achtstöckigen Hauses ums Leben gekommen. Bei einem der schwersten Unglücke dieser Art in der Türkei waren vor drei Jahren in der mitteltürkischen Stadt Konya 66 Menschen getötet worden. Dort war im Februar 2004 ein zehnstöckiges Wohnhaus wegen schwerer Baumängel eingestürzt.

Text: dpa
Bildmaterial: AP, dpa, REUTERS

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Radical Islamic group busted in Bulgaria

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

Radical Islamic group busted in Bulgaria

21/02/2007

Four Bulgarians have been arrested for promoting radical Islam via the internet. Further action by the authorities is expected.

(Sofia Echo, Standart News, Monitor, Focus News Agency - 21/02/07; Sofia News Agency, Dnevnik, Mediapool, bTV, Kuwait News Agency, Bulgarian Interior Ministry - 20/02/07)

Bulgarian authorities have made four arrests in the case. [Getty Images]

A former mufti and three others were arrested for propagating radical Islam and inciting religious hatred and intolerance, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday (February 20th). The group used two websites to promote their ideas and called for the replacement of the constitutionally established political order by a Muslim Sheria state.

After two weeks of surveillance, the arrests were made in Sofia and near the town of Blagoevgrad in southwestern Bulgaria, as part of a joint operation by the National Security Service (NSS), the special unit for fighting organised crime, and the Sofia Investigation Service (SIS).

Those arrested were linked to the Union of Bulgarian Muslims, founded in 2006 and used by the group to disguise its activities.

The leader of the group was identified as a 51-year-old Ali Kheiriddine, a former Sofia mufti. He had contacts with a Jordanian, Ahmad Mohammad Moussa, who was expelled from Bulgaria in 2000 for establishing a local branch of the Muslim Brothers, a radical Islam organisation.

Moussa headed an Islamic relief agency involved in extremist Islamic actions, said Yavor Kolev, the head of the unit for fighting organised crime, at a press conference Tuesday in Sofia.

One of the other three detainees, identified only by the initials A.D., was described by the authorities as Kheiriddine’s spiritual wife. Investigators say her task was to download material from Chechen websites, translate it into Bulgarian, and then publish it on one of the two websites.

http://setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/02/21/feature-01 

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UCK claims responsibility for Kosovo bombing

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

UCK claims responsibility for Kosovo bombing

21/02/2007

A group calling itself the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) says it was seeking revenge for the deaths of two Kosovo Albanian demonstrators.

By Bekim Greicevci and Blerta Foniqi-Kabashi for Southeast European Times in Pristina – 21/02/07

Forensic experts inspect damaged UN vehicles after an explosion in Pristina. [Getty Images]

Three UNMIK vehicles and one civilian’s were damaged on Monday evening as a result of an explosion in Pristina, police confirmed on Tuesday (February 19th).

In a brief report emailed to local media, a group calling itself the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) says it has “reactivated its structures” and carried out the attack against UN property in retaliation for the deaths of two Albanians, killed during clashes with police on February 10th.

The blast was meant to damage UNMIK property, not cause fatalities, the group said.

During the 1998-99 conflict, the UCK fought the Serbian army and police. However, it was subsequently transformed into a civilian structure called the Kosovo Protection Force, supervised by UNMIK and KFOR. Still unclear is whether there is any relationship between the perpetrators of Monday’s bombing and the earlier UCK.

A Kosovo Police Service (KPS) spokesperson, Veton Elshani, told SETimes that the authenticity of the report is yet to be determined. No one has been arrested.

“I just heard a very loud detonation, because I live near the scene,” said Albert Kamberi, a local resident. He said police and KFOR personnel were on the scene within minutes.

The blast came ten days after a pro-independence protest — organised by the Vetevendosje (Self-determination) movement — that turned violent. Kosovo and UN police responded with rubber bullets and tear gas. Two demonstrators were killed.

Vetevendosje has announced plans for another demonstration on March 3rd

Immediately after the blast, Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Çeku visited the scene and condemned the bombing. “These acts are against Kosovo independence,” Ceku said. “But these acts should not obstruct the process of independence for Kosovo,” he added.

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu urged the police to quickly find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. “These criminal acts are absolutely not acceptable for the people of Kosovo and its institutions. They damage the image of Kosovo and do not represent the people of Kosovo,” he said.

http://setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/02/21/feature-03 

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Albania’s elections still short of standards

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

Albania’s elections still short of international standards

21/02/2007

So far, the Socialists are ahead in terms of vote count, while monitors say that Albania failed to meet international election standards.

By Erlis Selimaj for Southeast European Times in Tirana – 21/02/07

Tirana Mayor Edi Rama casts his ballot in the capital during Sunday’s (February 18th) local elections. [Getty Images]

Albania is counting the votes after the local elections held Sunday (February 18th). The opposition Socialist Party (SP) has the lead in the main cities, including Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Vlora, Korca and Berat. SP leader Edi Rama, running for the third term as Tirana’s mayor, is ahead of rival Sokol Olldashi. Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party (DP) claims victories in the smaller communes and municipalities.

The elections have been closely watched by the international community. As Albania aspires to join the EU and NATO, holding fair and democratic elections in a post-communist country is a major concern.

After the polling stations closed, the head of OSCE/ODIHR monitoring staff, Danish diplomat Jorgen Grunnet, concluded that Albania failed to meet all the international standards.

“The parties did not fulfill their responsibilities according to the Code of Elections. Even though, the Election Day was quiet, followed only by a few small incidents, the voting process had many serious procedural problems,” he said.

According to an EU report, there were shortcomings in terms of both preparation and execution.

“Albania’s political leaders now need to improve the way they co-operate on electoral and other challenging reforms that Albania faces in the EU integration process,” said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. He added that, “Respect for democratic principles is a fundamental commitment under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement which Albania signed in June of last year.”

Criticism also came from other quarters, including EU security chief Javier Solana, and Doris Pack of the European Parliament.

Prime Minister Berisha described the election process as the best since the fall of communism in 1991.”Albania won its first victory in terms of fair and free electoral standards,” Berisha told reporters at a press conference.

On Sunday, 2.9 million voters were asked to choose mayors and councilors from more than 1,700 candidates. The turnout was approximately 47%. Voting was monitored by 4,500 foreign and local observers amid tight police security, due to concerns over vote-rigging.

http://setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/02/21/feature-02 

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Albanischer Serien Killer von Interpol-FBI in Montenegro verhaftet

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

Mal i Zi, arrestohet nje serial killer shqiptar, vrau 6 grate e tij

 me: 21/02/2007 - 12:39
• Vrasjen e tij te pare e ka kryer ne SHBA, ish-gruan e dyte ne Belgjike, ndersa 4 te tjerat ne Shqiperi. Vrasesi me disa nga viktimat ka dhe femije

Pas nje ndjekjeje prej 20 vjetesh eshte arrestuar ne Podgorice nje serial killer shqiptar qe dyshohet se ka vrare 6 nga ish grate e tij, ne Mal te Zi, Shqiperi dhe Amerike. Smajl Tulja 67 vjec me origjine shqiptare, por i lindur ne Mal te Zi ka perfunduar ne pranga ne Podgorice pas nje operacioni te policise se Malit te Zi dhe FBI e Interpolit amerikan. Sipas te dhenave 67 vjecari nje emigranti mes Amerikes dhe Europes, ka vrare qe nga vitet ‘80 as me pak e as me shume por 6 nga ish grate e tij. Vrasjen e tij te pare e ka kryer ne SHBA, ish-gruan e dyte ne Belgjike, ndersa 4 te tjerat ne Shqiperi. Pikerisht per 4 vrasjet e Shqiperise ende nuk ka te dhena lidhur me kete, por dyshohet se serial killeri ka jetuar per nje fare kohe me viktimat per t’i zhdukur me pas, nje nga nje. Policia dhe hetuesit ende nuk kane kuptuar shkakun e vrasjeve te cilat jane pershkruar si vrasje makabre. Gjithashtu mesohet se Smajl Tulja pervec se vrau 6 nga ish grate e tij, me disa nga viktimat ka dhe femije, te cilet tashme kane kuptuar se i ati eshte nje vrases serial. (News24)

http://www.balkanweb.com/sitev4/index.php?id=495

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Albania: Berisha will die Partia Demokratia säubern

21.2.2007 by Lupo.

• Humbja, Berisha nis spastrimet në PD

  Pas një humbjeje të papritur dhe surprizë të zgjedhjeve vendore të 18 shkurtit, Partia Demokratike do të përfshihet në një katarsis të vërtetë që do të prekë çdo strukturë të sajën, një katarsis që do të shtrihet edhe në qeverinë e koalicionit të djathtë. Pavarësisht se ka fituar shumicën e njësive vendore në rang vendi, Partia Demokratike nuk do t’i shpëtojë një katarsisi apo reformimi të thellë në të gjitha nivelet e saj, duke qenë se ajo është përballur me një humbje të thellë në bashkitë kryesore të vendit, duke nisur që nga Tirana, Durrësi, Vlora, Korça, Fieri, Berati, etj.Lajmi, përveçse konfirmohet nga burime të sigurta pranë Partisë Demokratike, është lançuar tërthorazi nga vetë Kryeministri Sali Berisha gjatë konferencës së dhënë ditën e hënë. I pyetur mbi rezultatet e zgjedhjeve, Kryeministri Sali Berisha ka thënë se, Partia Demokratike do të përfshihet nga procesi i analizës për rezultatin e arritur në zgjedhjet vendore të 18 shkurtit. Por, burime brenda Partisë Demokratike sqarojnë se, ky proces analize do të marrë përmasat e një reformimi të thellë të strukturave të Partisë Demokratike në të gjitha nivelet, duke qenë se humbja e zgjedhjeve vendore të 18 shkurtit ishte e thellë për selinë blu, në një kohë që duhet të rezultonte e kundërta, pasi demokratët janë ata që kanë pushtetin. Procesi i llogaridhënies për këtë rezultat do të nisë që nga deputetët e Partisë Demokratike e deri te funksionarët e Partisë Demokratike në rrethet ku kandidatët demokratë kanë humbur garën elektorale të zgjedhjeve vendore të 18 shkurtit.

http://www.sot.com.al/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41121&Itemid=1&lang=

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