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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06TIRANA1208 |
TRADE UNION POWER STRUGGLE INTERRUPTS WORK OF THE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. With dwindling membership and waning societal influence, the Albanian trade union organization that helped bring down the communist regime has been further weakened by an internal power struggle. This struggle has pitted Gezim Kalaja, long-time trade union confederation presid [...] |
2006-11-27 16:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM ELAB ECON AL |
| 06TIRANA1209 |
IMPASSE ENDS AFTER ISLAMIC COUNCIL VOTES TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. After losing a vote of confidence in a meeting of the National Islamic Council on November 25, Bashkim Bajraktari, the Mufti of Shkoder, agreed to step down. His resignation ended a weeklong impasse during which Bajraktari, who had been fired earlier in the week by Selim Muca, h [...] |
2006-11-27 17:17:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL KIRF AL |
| 06TIRANA281 |
MAJOR LNG AND POWER PROJECT NEARER REALIZATION; [...] (C) SUMMARY: ASG Power, a U.S.-Swiss consortium, received GoA permission on March 13 to undertake final feasibility and environmental studies to build a 1.9 billion LNG re-gasification facility and 1200 megawatt power plant near Fier. Gas and electricity will mostly be exported to Italy, b [...] |
2006-03-20 08:00:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | EINV ENRG EPET AL |
| 06TIRANA313 |
SCENESETTER FOR MCC VISIT TO ALBANIA [...] (SBU) Summary: The new Government of Albania (GoA), led by Prime Minister Sali Berisha, took office in September 2005. Berisha's governing coalition, led by his Democratic Party, was elected largely on a campaign promise to combat endemic organized crime and corruption. The new GoA has ta [...] |
2006-03-28 14:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON KMCA OTRA AL |
| 06TIRANA351 |
ALBANIA AND USAID SIGN MCC THRESHOLD PROGRAM [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Millennium Challenge Corporation's CEO Ambassador Danilovich and VP Bent visited Albania on April 3 to participate in a signing ceremony for a USD 13.8 million Threshold Program Agreement and to meet with GoA officials. The program is designed to reduce the opportunities for [...] |
2006-04-07 07:56:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON KMCA OTRA AL |
| 06TIRANA352 |
ALBANIA SCENESETTER FOR AMB. WISNER, U.S. SPECIAL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Albanian governments, past and present, support independence for Kosovo, but within the international framework. In contrast to generally quiet diplomacy of the past, the Berisha government, via FM Mustafaj (and Sabri Godo, his informal advisor on Kosovo), has more openly and [...] |
2006-04-07 09:55:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PINR AL |
| 06TIRANA358 |
ALBANIA'S CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR: MONEY LAUNDERING [...] (SBU) Albania's Central Bank Governor, Ardian Fullani, became the first high-ranking GoA official to state what many analysts have assumed for years: Albania's booming construction industry is driven, in part, by "dirty money." In his annual report to Parliament's Committee on the Economy, F [...] |
2006-04-07 13:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EINV KCRM AL |
| 06TIRANA365 |
ALBANIA: PROTESTING THE IRANIAN REGIME'S [...] (U) Pol/Econ Chief raised reftel demarche with Mimoza Kondo, Office Director for the Americas desk at the MFA. Kondo was not aware of the issue, and thanked us for the information. She noted the sensitive nature of religious issues in Albania, but agreed that religious tolerance was somethin [...] |
2006-04-10 13:02:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PINR AL |
| 06TIRANA408 |
U.S. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE WISNER DISCUSSES [...] (C) SUMMARY: Albanian officials expressed appreciation for the USG role in the region and especially in Kosovo. All accepted the role that Wisner asked Albania to play as the Kosovo status negotiations advanced, and pledged that Albania would do its part to reach a successful conclusion. Amb [...] |
2006-04-21 11:18:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KS AL |
| 06TIRANA420 |
ALBANIA: SCENESETTER FOR VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY'S [...] (C) Background/Summary: Albanians describe their relationship with the U.S. as "strategic" and consider it their most important bar none. Politically, and militarily Albania looks to the U.S. first, and is deeply appreciative of our help. In return, Albanians have worked hard to make themse [...] |
2006-04-27 08:52:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MARR AL |
| 06TIRANA434 |
ALBANIA SEEKS SEAT ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION [...] (C) FM Minister Mustafaj told Ambassador May 1 that Albania would put its name forward for a spot on the UN Human Rights Commission, and asked for USG support. Mustafaj told the Ambassador that former UN SecGen Boutros-Boutros Ghali had written to Francophone countries in support of Albania's [...] |
2006-05-02 14:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KUNR PREL OPDC PHUM PINR UNGA AL |
| 06TIRANA435 |
ALBANIA AGREES TO HRC COMMITMENTS [...] (SBU) Per ref A, Ambassador called on FM Besnik Mustafaj on and delivered the letter from Secretary Rice. Mustafaj said the GOA would not support states with a record of human rights violations or of sponsoring terrorism for the Human Rights Council (HRC). Mustafaj also noted Albania was a ca [...] |
2006-05-02 14:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KUNR OPDC PREL PHUM UNGA AL |
| 06TIRANA436 |
BERISHA VS. SOLLAKU: A HIGH LEVEL SMACKDOWN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Over the last eight months, PM Berisha and his allies have engaged in a campaign to dump General Prosecutor Sollaku, claiming he is a major obstacle to progress in the fight against crime and corruption. Berisha has publicly accused Sollaku of everything from laziness to ties [...] |
2006-05-02 15:19:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AL |
| 06TIRANA441 |
ALBANIA: MDA DEMARCHE ON AMBASSADOR'S MEETING IN [...] (SBU) PolEcon Chief delivered reftel points to Mimoza Kondo, Office Director for the Americas at the MFA. Kondo was aware of the upcoming vote and indicated the GOA's position has not, and is not expected to change, before the June vote. She expressed appreciation for the points and undertoo [...] |
2006-05-04 07:52:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AORC PHUM PREF PREL ICRC SZ AL |
| 06TIRANA455 |
ALBANIA WILL NOT SUPPORT IRAN BID FOR UN HUMAN [...] (C) PolEcon Chief raised Ref A pointS with M)moza Ko.do, Office Director for th% Americas, aNd Saimi2 Rapishti, Office Director for I.ternational OpGanizations at the MFA. RapiqHtI sa)d the assue had been raised at the "highest letElS qitQi. t`e anistry, and that it had bee decaded,QQGithouT [...] |
2006-05-05 10:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KUNR PHUM UNHRC PREL AL |
| 06TIRANA461 |
UIGHURS ARRIVE IN ALBANIA FROM GUANTANAMO WITHOUT [...] (S) On May 5, at 9:03 PM local time, five Chinese-national Uighurs previously held at Guantanamo Bay who had been determined to no longer be enemy combatants arrived by C-17 at Mother Teresa International Airport in Tirana. The five Uighurs were driven to Rinas police station (near the airpor [...] |
2006-05-08 11:55:00 | Embassy Tirana | SECRET | PREF PTER PHUM PREL AL CH |
| 06TIRANA467 |
FM MUSTAFAJ ON MEETING WITH CHINESE AMBASSADOR ON [...] (U) Ambassador met with Albanian Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj on the afternoon of May 8, following Mustafaj's meeting with Chinese Ambassador Tian Changchun and the release of a statement by Tian to News24, an Albanian television news channel. 2. (S) Mustafaj said Tian was "very tough" [...] |
2006-05-09 02:59:00 | Embassy Tirana | SECRET | PREF PTER PHUM PREL PINR AL CH |
| 06TIRANA479 |
ALBANIA APPROVES AMENDMENT TO CLAIMS SETTLEMENT [...] Per reftel, we approached the MFA last year to request the suggested amendment. The Council of Ministers approved the amendment in mid-April 2006 and the MFA issued a confirmatory Diplomatic Note (Note verbal 6012) on April 27th. 2. Embassy's translation of the MFA's note follows: (Ve [...] |
2006-05-10 05:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV EIND AL US |
| 06TIRANA486 |
SAM SEEKS MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see para. 5. 2. (C) Mimoza Kondo, MFA Office Director for the Europe, America, and Russia, told Pol/Econ Chief that Albania has been approached by Serbia-Montenegro regarding the possibility of formally establishing military cooperation. She also pro [...] |
2006-05-11 06:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MOPS AL |
| 06TIRANA506 |
VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM: OBELISK BUT NO ACCESS TO [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-17 08:41:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PINR PHUM AL |
| 06TIRANA540 |
ALBANIA REACTS POSITIVELY TO MONTENEGRO'S VOTE FOR [...] (SBU) GoA officials were quick to comment positively -- and to key their comments on Euro-Atlantic integration prospects -- regarding the results of Montenegro's Referendum on Independence after initial results were announced early on May 22. President Moisiu called Montenegrin President Vuj [...] |
2006-05-24 04:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL MK SZ AL |
| 06TIRANA559 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AFFIRMS JUDICIAL Q@%Q@AQQN(U) Under the Albanian [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-26 13:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KJUS AL |
| 06TIRANA564 |
GOA CRACKING DOWN ON ORGANIZED CRIME AND PASSPORT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Two unrelated, but widely reported arrests were made in recent days, both of which highlight the fight of Albanian police and prosecutors against corruption and organized crime. In the first case, seven members of a drug trafficking network who were laundering proceeds through c [...] |
2006-05-30 11:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KCRM PGOV ASEC PINR KFRD CVIS KRIM AL |
| 06TIRANA578 |
MEDIA AND NGO SCRUTINY PROMPTS INVESTIGATION INTO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Albanian media have reported widely on the alleged police mistreatment of a suspected international drug trafficker and fugitive from US justice. A local human rights NGO and the Albanian prosecutor's office are investigating possible police misconduct. At the height of the media [...] |
2006-06-02 08:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM CVIS KFRD KPAO AL |
| 06TIRANA585 |
ALBANIA FULLY SUPPORTS U.S. OFFER TO [...] (SBU) Ambassador delivered reftel points to PM Berisha on June 1. Berisha immediately agreed to issue a statement in support of the USG's offer to Iran. The GoA issued the following statement on June 2: (Begin text) -- The Government of the Republic of Albania follows with special atten [...] |
2006-06-02 12:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 06TIRANA586 |
PM BERISHA ON MONTENEGRO, KOSOVO, MACEDONIA AND A [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a June 1 meeting with Ambassador focused mainly on Iran (Ref A), Prime Minister Berisha also shared his thoughts on Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and made a pitch for a visit by President Bush to Albania. Berisha expressed serious concern about upcoming elections in Mac [...] |
2006-06-02 13:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL AL |
| 06TIRANA597 |
FORMER SENATOR DECONCINI SHINES LIGHT ON ISSUE OF [...] (U) Former U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini, who visited Tirana May 22-24 as a guest of Albanian Ombudsman Dobjani, focused on the plight of missing and trafficked children. DeConcini held meetings with PM Berisha and other Cabinet members, saw the heads of several NGOs that focus on TIP, and was [...] |
2006-06-06 13:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PINR AL |
| 06TIRANA599 |
DEFENSE MINISTER: RAISE NUMBER OF TROOPS IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Defense Minister Mediu told Ambassador that he wanted to expand Albania's troop presence in Afghanistan from 22 troops to a company of 120 and that he further wanted them to be deployed with Italian, rather than Turkish, forces so that they could conduct a broader range of missio [...] |
2006-06-06 13:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR NATO AL |
| 06TIRANA600 |
SHKODRA REGION RELIGIOUS TENSIONS CONTINUE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Religious tensions that flared in Shkoder when a statue to Mother Theresa was proposed for a public spot in central Shkodra have settled somewhat, but there is still lingering resentment between the Muslim and Catholic communities. Both sides cite foreign influence(meaning fore [...] |
2006-06-06 13:54:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR AL MW |
| 06TIRANA602 |
ALBANIA WILL FOLLOW UN/EU POSITIONS IN OIC [...] (C) During a May 31 meeting, chief of the UN section at the MFA Repishti stressed that Albania was formally alerting the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that it would follow UN and/or EU official positions on most issues considered by the OIC. 2. (SBU) Albania joined the OIC in [...] |
2006-06-07 02:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OIC AL |
| 06TIRANA618 |
ENERGY POLICY CHANGES IN ALBANIA [...] (U) Summary: PM Berisha recently described a series of energy-related measures to improve Albania's business climate. The GoA will alter its two-tiered electricity price structure to reduce energy prices for the private business sector to bring it more in line with regional norms and to spu [...] |
2006-06-09 12:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG EINV AL |
| 06TIRANA628 |
SOCIALIST PARTY CONGRESS: RAMA'S REFORMS AND [...] (SBU) Albania's Socialist Party (SP) held its first Congress since its bitter defeat last July in Parliamentary elections and the ascendancy of Tirana Mayor Edi Rama to the Chairmanship of the party last fall. Former Chairman, and fallen PM, Fatos Nano, was nowhere to be seen and his suppor [...] |
2006-06-12 13:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 06TIRANA629 |
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ALBANIAN PRE-TRIAL DETENTION [...] (U) SUMMARY. A DRL-funded project to improve conditions at one of Albania's largest prisons was launched June 7. This project will provide training to prison guards and administration officials. Complementing the project's launch, the Ministry of Justice disseminated a new internal regulation [...] |
2006-06-13 05:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM KCRM AL |
| 06TIRANA657 |
WORLD BEKTASHI LEADER INVITED TO TURKEY: [...] (SBU) On June 12, Bulent Arinc, head of the Turkish parliament, visited the world headquarters of Bektashism in Tirana, Albania. Arinc invited Reshat Bardhi, head of the World Bektashi Community, to come to Turkey to participate in a Bektashi feast August 16. This would be the first official c [...] |
2006-06-19 16:31:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR AL |
| 06TIRANA662 |
EXHUMATION OF WW II SOLDIERS SPOTLIGHTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Recent exhumations of Greek soldiers killed in Albania during WW II and the construction of mausoleums here for their re-interrment have sparked considerable controversy and reportedly the cancellation of the Greek Defense Minister's visit to Albania. The exhumations generated co [...] |
2006-06-21 06:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR AL GR |
| 06TIRANA684 |
GENERALS' RETIREMENT A POSITIVE STEP FOR ALBANIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: On June 19, the Ministry of Defense retired four top generals. The decision was taken despite considerable resistance in the beginning by the military's top brass and by President Moisiu. The retirement of these communist-era generals and their replacement by capable, progressiv [...] |
2006-06-29 06:47:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MARR NATO AL |
| 06TIRANA696 |
CHAM PROTESTS MARK 62ND ANNIVERSARY OF LEAVING [...] (SBU) Several hundred Chams gathered at a rally in Saranda on June 23 to mark the 62nd anniversary of the Chams' expulsion from Greece to Albania. The rally was organized by the "Chameria" association and the Cham-founded Party for Democracy and Integration (PDI). The following day, proteste [...] |
2006-07-05 16:34:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PREL PHUM PGOV AL GR |
| 06TIRANA740 |
BERISHA VS. SOLLAKU: ONE ROUND IN A BROADER BATTLE [...] (C) SUMMARY. A Parliamentary investigative committee looking into allegations of incompetence and misconduct against Prosecutor General (PG) Sollaku has issued a report claiming evidence of serious misconduct and recommending not only that President Moisiu dismiss the PG, but that criminal pr [...] |
2006-07-13 05:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR PHUM AL |
| 06TIRANA743 |
AMBASSADOR'S JULY 11 MEETING WITH PM BERISHA [...] (C) The Ambassador met with Prime Minister Berisha on July 11 to review requirements for NATO accession and Albania's reform process. The Prime Minister signaled that he understood quite well from his discussion with Assistant Secretary Fried in Croatia that while the U.S. hoped there SIPDI [...] |
2006-07-14 05:20:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | AL PGOV PTER |
| 06TIRANA747 |
DELAYS IN THE ALBANIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Preparations for the Albanian Chemical Weapons Elimination Program have been delayed due to damage sustained during testing of the destruction equipment and required modifications to the system. The delays have resulted in the postponement of the start of operations at the destr [...] |
2006-07-14 13:27:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR MASS MOPS PARM PREL SENV AL |
| 06TIRANA776 |
ALBANIA ON P5+1 INCENTIVE PACKAGE FOR IRAN [...] (C) Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj July 21 to brief him on the P5 1 incentive package for Iran. Mustafaj said the GoA shared U.S. and EU concern about Iran's nuclear ambitions and agreed that Iran must suspend enrichment-related activity immediately and respond positively [...] |
2006-07-21 09:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PARM PREL IR EU AORC |
| 06TIRANA798 |
PARLIAMENT VOTES TO DISMISS PROSECUTOR GENERAL; [...] (C) SUMMARY: As expected, Parliament approved the Special Investigative Committee report recommending that President Moisiu dismiss Prosecutor General Sollaku. The ball is now in Moisiu's court. The President is determined not to dismiss Sollaku, but he is seeking international cover for [...] |
2006-07-28 12:58:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KJUS KCRM AL |
| 06TIRANA816 |
ALBANIA ON HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON MIGRATION [...] (SBU) Per reftel, we delivered points on the upcoming UN High-Level Dialogue (HLD) on International Migration and Development to Saimir Repishti, chief of the UN section at the MFA. Repishti informed us that Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Kosta Barka (or his deputy) would likely lead Al [...] |
2006-08-01 16:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID PREF SMIG UNGA AL |
| 06TIRANA817 |
ALBANIA'S HIGH-LEVEL ATTENDANCE AT THE UNGA - [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-01 16:08:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP UNGA AL |
| 06TIRANA822 |
NIGHT OF A THOUSAND DINNERS RAISES FUNDS - AND [...] (U) Embassy Tirana hosted its third Night of a Thousand Dinners reception on July 24 at the Ambassador's Residence, in cooperation with the Albanian Mine Action Executive (AMAE) and the Victims of Mines and Weapons Association (VMA). Ambassador noted that, with most high- and medium-priority m [...] |
2006-08-02 15:03:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KHDP MASS PREL AL |
| 06TIRANA839 |
ALBANIA ON DRAFT UNSC RESOLUTION ON LEBANON [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-07 15:14:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PTER MOPS UN IS LE AL |
| 06TIRANA846 |
SCENESETTER FOR CODEL LUGAR'S VISIT TO ALBANIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Mr. Chairman, the Albanian Chemical Weapons Elimination Program (ACWEP) is proceeding apace. Although delays in testing the destruction equipment in Germany mean that destruction will not have begun by the time of your visit, the program is nevertheless on track to complete des [...] |
2006-08-11 10:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OREP PARM MASS NATO PGOV ECON PREL AL |
| 06TIRANA880 |
ALBANIA'S HIGH-LEVEL ATTENDANCE AT THE UNGA [...] (SBU) Per Reftel A, this message provides information on Albania's high-level attendance at the UNGA; Reftel B provided preliminary information. The delegation will be headed by President Alfred Moisiu. A. Attendance of the Head of State -- H.E. Alfred Moisiu, President of the Republic of [...] |
2006-08-21 15:24:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP UNGA AL |
| 06TIRANA881 |
ALBANIA CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR PROF. RUTH WEDGWOOD [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-21 15:24:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM UNHRC AL |
| 06TIRANA920 |
ALBANIA: LULL IN GOVERNMENT-OPPOSITION WARFARE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Thanks to EC-OSCE-hosted "coffee negotiations," the Democratic Party (the largest party in the majority) and the Socialist Party (the largest opposition party) broke the logjam preventing forward movement on electoral reform and organization of local elections. The agreement a [...] |
2006-09-01 16:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AL |
| 06TIRANA995 |
IMPEDIMENT TO BECHTEL BID TO BUILD KEY SECTION OF [...] (C) Bechtel Corporation on August 7 was selected by the Albanian Ministry of Transportation (MOT) to build a 60 km. segment of difficult mountain road on the main route between the Adriatic port of Durres and the town of Kukes, in northeastern Albania near the Kosovo border. When completed, t [...] |
2006-09-22 12:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | EINV ELTN PGOV ECON EFIN AL ZL |
| 06TIRANA996 |
SCENESETTER FOR YOUR VISIT TO ALBANIA AND SEDM [...] (C) Your attendance at the September 26-27 Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) is the event's highlight for your Albanian hosts. NATO entry is Albania's primary goal, one supported by all levels of society and all political tendencies. The Ministerial provides the chance for Albani [...] |
2006-09-22 12:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR PGOV MCAP AL |
| 07TIRANA1001 |
ALBANIA WILL SUPPORT STRONG LANGUAGE AGAINST IRAN AT IAEA [...] (SBU) On 21 November, Pol-Econ Chief met with Islam Lauka, the Director General for Multilateral Affairs at the MFA to deliver reftel demarche. Lauka said Albania's IAEA Board Member Ferit Hoxha had spoken to USIAEA Ambassador Schulte and Albania planned to support the U.S. and EU position. [...] |
2007-11-22 09:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP MNUC IAEA IR AL |
| 07TIRANA1002 |
ALBANIA WILL SUPPORT STRONG LANGUAGE AGAINST IRAN AT IAEA [...] (SBU) On 21 November, Pol-Econ Chief met with Islam Lauka, the Director General for Multilateral Affairs at the MFA to deliver reftel demarche. Lauka said Albania's IAEA Board Member Ferit Hoxha had spoken to USIAEA Ambassador Schulte and Albania planned to support the U.S. and EU position. [...] |
2007-11-22 09:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP MNUC IAEA IR AL |
| 07TIRANA1004 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, NOVEMBER 17-23, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS --------------------- [...] |
2007-11-23 15:22:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1013 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, NOVEMBER 23-30, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS --------------------- [...] |
2007-11-30 16:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1015 |
PRESIDENT TOPI IN GREECE: ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET [...] (SBU) Athens welcomed President Bamir Topi for his first state visit to Greece November 25 - 27. Accompanied by a delegation of government officials and Albanian businessmen, the visit's positive images and controlled public relations message overshadowed enduring tensions on many of the polit [...] |
2007-12-04 09:01:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1032 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 7, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS --------------------- [...] |
2007-12-07 14:02:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1054 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, DECEMBER 7 - 14, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS --------------------- [...] |
2007-12-14 13:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL SCUL AL |
| 07TIRANA1059 |
ALBANIA: 2007 UPDATE ON WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR [...] Summary: Post's 2007 report on Albania's worst forms of child labor will focus on changes and developments over the last year and will not repeat reporting in last year's cable (ref B). Albania continues to make progress in addressing the issue of child labor and child trafficking, but as rep [...] |
2007-12-17 15:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI USAID AL |
| 07TIRANA1064 |
ALBANIA: GROWING DEMILITARIZATION EXPERTISE [...] (U) Albania in early December completed the destruction of over 2,700 metric tons of its largest munitions (over 3,000 sea mines, torpedoes and aerial bombs), some of which contained as much as 700 kg. of TNT. In July 2007, Albania became the first country to destroy its chemical weapons stock [...] |
2007-12-18 15:52:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MASS MARR PARM PREL NATO AL |
| 07TIRANA1067 |
ALBANIA: SOCIALIST PARTY CHAIRMAN: THE SP [...] (C) In a one-on-one conversation with the Ambassador following EUR/DAS DiCarlo's December 19 DVC with Albanian leaders on Kosovo, Tirana mayor and Socialist Party (SP) chairman Edi Rama voiced consternation that the USG might be misconstruing the party's position in supporting Albania's future [...] |
2007-12-21 11:27:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV NATO AL |
| 07TIRANA1068 |
ALBANIA: COMBATTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE [...] (U) Ambassador Withers hosted a roundtable discussion at the University of Tirana Law Center on December 11 to mark the end of sixteen days of activism in honor of the International Day Against Gender-Based Violence. Participants included students, civil society leaders and government officia [...] |
2007-12-21 13:06:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM SOCI PGOV AL |
| 07TIRANA1069 |
ALBANIA: IMPRESSIVE EARLY PERFORMANCE BY NEW PG [...] (C) In an hour-long meeting with the Ambassador December 13, Albania's newly appointed Prosecutor General (PG), Ina Rama, outlined an ambitious set of priorities for her new job. Describing herself as an "activist" who wanted to energize the PG's office, Rama promised to devote herself to s [...] |
2007-12-21 13:17:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1070 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, DECEMBER 15 - 21, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS --------------------- [...] |
2007-12-21 15:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL SOCI AL |
| 07TIRANA1075 |
EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- November 13: The DAMEN/GoA patrol boat contract was formally signed. The plan calls for four 42 meter off-shore patrol boats to support Albanian Naval forces, and is part of the $43.8 million naval development project (which incl [...] |
2007-12-26 13:19:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 07TIRANA1077 |
ALBANIA SECTION 1206 PROPOSAL: EMBASSY CONCURRENCE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-26 15:34:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL MASS AL |
| 07TIRANA1078 |
GOA'S 2008 BUDGET INCREASES INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOCIAL [...] The GOA's 2008 budget increases both spending and borrowing as the government looks toward national elections in 2009. Further tax reductions and a dramatic increase in spending on infrastructure projects as well as social and defense programs to meet NATO accession criteria will be financed [...] |
2007-12-27 09:02:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EAID PGOV AL |
| 07TIRANA1083 |
ALBANIA: IMMUNITY LIFTED FOR FOREIGN MINISTER, [...] (U) Albania's Parliament voted December 27 to lift the immunity of Foreign Minister/Member of Parliament Lulzim Basha. The Prosecutor General's (PG) office (under the recently dismissed PG) requested the action in order to pursue an investigation of suspected irregularities affecting the aw [...] |
2007-12-28 14:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1084 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, DECEMBER 21-28, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ----------------------------------- POLITICAL AND ECONOMI [...] |
2007-12-28 16:19:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA1090 |
OVERVIEW OF THE ALBANIAN INTELLIGENCE [...] (S) Albania's intelligence services, the Military Intelligence Service (SHIU) and the Albanian State Intelligence Service (SHISH), have improved their capabilities and are close partners with the USG. During the visit of President Bush, in the support they provide for troops in Iraq and Af [...] |
2007-12-31 15:06:00 | Embassy Tirana | SECRET | PINR PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA173 |
SEVENTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKIG IN PERSONS [...] (U) Below are Embassy Tirana's responses to the Qepartment's questions about trafficking in persons in Albania. SUMMARY ------- 2. (SBU) Albania is a source country for trafficking in person1 but is deemed by various international observer groups to no longer be a significant country of [...] |
2007-03-02 15:58:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM PHUM KQM ELAB CMAE KQRDQ PPEF PREL KJUS |
| 07TIRANA674 |
ALBANIA DISASTER DECLARATION [...] I am declaring a disaster in Albania for the loss of property, loss of livelihoods, and the potential loss of life caused by heat wave-related wildfires currently raging throughout Albania, and I request USD 50,000 for immediate disaster relief from USAID/OFDA. The Government of Albania has ma [...] |
2007-07-27 10:28:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV EAID PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA81 |
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ALBANIA [...] The following is Embassy Tirana's response to reftel requesting a list of the five most influential women in Albania. Embassy Tirana's point of contact for women's issues is Political Officer Charles Morrill (morrillch@state.gov). 2. Embassy has chosen the following five women, weighing fa [...] |
2007-01-31 16:13:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | KWMN PHUM PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA963 |
ALBANIA WILL SUPPORT ARGENTINA'S REQUEST FOR [...] (C) POLOFF delivered ref demarch to the Director of Albanian State Police (ASP) Ahment Prenci on 30 October 2007. Albania plans to send three representatives from the ASP to the INTERPOL General Assembly in Marrakech, Morocco, including Deputy Director of ASP Argon Kalicaj, INTERPOL chief Pe [...] |
2007-11-01 14:59:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER ASEC KJUS AL IR |
| 07TIRANA981 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, NOVEMBER 3-10, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) [...] |
2007-11-13 09:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA982 |
ALBANIA: PRIME MINISTER THANKS PRESIDENT BUSH [...] On November 5, Post received the following letter dated October 19, 2007, from Prime Minister Berisha addressed to President Bush. Original has been pouched to EUR/SCE. 2. Begin text. (Original as received in English.) Dear President Bush, It was a special honor and great pleasure to [...] |
2007-11-13 12:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA989 |
ALBANIA: READOUT OF NOVEMBER 7 INTERAGENCY [...] (C) The Interagency Team led by USNATO Ambassador Nuland on November 7 provided clear benchmarks toward NATO integration to Albania's President Topi, Prime Minister Berisha and key Ministers, and a group of Parliamentarians. She explained that the USG and other NATO Allies will start making na [...] |
2007-11-14 16:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR PGOV NATO AL |
| 07TIRANA991 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, NOVEMBER 9-16, 2007 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS --------------------- [...] |
2007-11-16 12:24:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 07TIRANA997 |
ALBANIAN REACTION TO KOSOVO ELECTIONS [...] (U) Across the political spectrum, Albanians responded positively to the November 17 elections in Kosovo. All major players (President Bamir Topi, PM Sali Berisha, Speaker Jozefina Topalli, opposition leader Edi Rama) personally phoned PDK Chair Hashim Thaci to congratulate him on his expect [...] |
2007-11-19 16:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL KV AL |
| 07TIRANA999 |
ALBANIA COURTS THE NATO ALLIES WITH SUCCESS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Senior Albanian officials voice confidence that their accelerated outreach to NATO capitals in recent months has rallied significant support to Albania's NATO candidacy. Although aware no formal decisions have been made and that they are likely to be invited in conjunction wit [...] |
2007-11-20 11:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO AL |
| 08SECTON02OF02TIRANA398 |
RIPPLES FROM A BOULDER: AMBASRADOR'S REMARKS RENEWQ DEBATE ON CORRUPTION, IMQUJITY [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-23 15:04:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA101 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------- [...] |
2008-02-11 06:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA102 |
FOOD PRICES SKYROCKET AS GOA PINES FOR NATO [...] (SBU) Fears that 2008 will bring rising inflation grew as local media extensively reported on price increases for basic food items. Prices for food products, which represent the largest share in the government's basket of consumer goods for measuring inflation, have increased in recent years. [...] |
2008-02-11 06:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA103 |
ALBANIA'S INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT: 2007 [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-11 06:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | AL ECON ETRD KTDB OPIC USTR |
| 08TIRANA110 |
ALBANIA: PARLIAMENT PASSES LOCAL GOVERNMENT BORROWING LAW [...] SUMMARY: On February 4, Albania's Parliament unanimously passed the Local Government Borrowing Law which gives cities the authority to borrow money from commercial banks to finance local development. The borrowing law is the latest milestone in the country's decentralization process and culmi [...] |
2008-02-12 15:55:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA111 |
ALBANIA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION ON BERLIN MECHANISM [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-13 09:19:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNAUS UNMIK PGOV OSCE AL |
| 08TIRANA112 |
PM BERISHA ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE [...] (C) Ambassador engaged Prime Minister Berisha on February 12 on Albanian (and Kosovar) plans for an expected declaration of independence, including timing of recognition, possible GOA visits, and plans for celebrations. Berisha promised continued coordination with the U.S., has already urge [...] |
2008-02-13 15:17:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KV AL |
| 08TIRANA113 |
ALBANIA: CLUSTER MUNITIONS DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-13 17:02:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MOPS PARM PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA116 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE SPECIAL (FEBRUARY [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. This special edition focuses on the average Albanian's impressions and expectations of an expectecd declaration of independence by [...] |
2008-02-15 15:31:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM KV AL |
| 08TIRANA117 |
"LOVE IS IN THE AIR:" PM BERISHA PROMISES [...] (C) Prime Minister Berisha provided Ambassador with a very positive account of prospects for electoral and judicial reform, including the assertion that he believed opposition leader Edi Rama was dealing with him fairly and without subterfuge. In a separate meeting the same day, Rama provid [...] |
2008-02-15 15:39:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA118 |
POSTCARDS FROM ALBANIA: CARS AND TRUCKS AND THINGS THAT GO [...] (U) This cable is part of an occasional series entitled "Postcards from Albania." These cables are prepared by our locally engaged staff to provide analysis, opinions and commentary on Albanian reality from an Albanian perspective. This cable was contributed by a member of the Pol-Econ staff [...] |
2008-02-15 16:21:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL KCRM AL |
| 08TIRANA119 |
HONORING ALBANIA'S RECORD OF RESCUING JEWS DURING THE [...] SUMMARY: Warren Miller, Chairman of the U.S Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, visited Tirana January 27-29 to take part in the country's first official ceremony marking Holocaust Remembrance Day. Miller's visit included addressing a plenary session of Parliament, p [...] |
2008-02-16 10:09:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KPAO PHUM PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA120 |
MGKV01: ALBANIA UPGRADES RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO TO [...] (SBU) As reported Ref A, Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced on February 18 at 18:30 local time that Albania would elevate its relations with Kosovo to the ambassadorial level. (As reported Ref B, Albania recognized independent Kosovo on October 22, 1991. While it withdrew its Embassy sev [...] |
2008-02-20 06:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KV AL |
| 08TIRANA126 |
EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- January 1, CROATIA: Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone (EFPZ), essentially the Adriatic's practical application of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), came in effect, applying the existing EFPZ to EU fishing fleets, countrie [...] |
2008-02-20 08:20:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA13 |
EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- None. 2. (SBU) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD -- December 18: Maritime Advisor (MA) and Program Assistant (PA) walked through the new interim ferry passenger terminal in Durres. The facility provides a sheltered [...] |
2008-01-08 13:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA132 |
CONGRESSMAN TOM LANTOS' DEATH CONDOLENCES FROM ALBANIA [...] Embassy has received the following letter addressed to Speaker of the House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Speaker of the Parliament of Albania Jozefina Topalli, expressing her condolences for the loss of Congressman Tom Lantos. Original will be pouched to the Department (EUR/SC [...] |
2008-02-21 13:14:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL OPDC AL |
| 08TIRANA136 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, FEBRUARY 16-22, 2008) [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) Love is in the Air: After weeks of bipartisan del [...] |
2008-02-22 17:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM KV AL |
| 08TIRANA14 |
ALBANIA: RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN MAJORITY AND [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Albania's first and second opposition parties, the Socialist Party (SP) and Movement for Socialist Integration (LSI), appear to be not only "willing to move forward" on reforms needed for NATO, but actively pushing for those reforms. Likewise, the majority appears willing to [...] |
2008-01-08 14:18:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA148 |
ALBANIA'S INSURANCE SECTOR PRIVATIZES, EXPANDS [...] The GOA is preparing to privatize INSIG, the state-owned insurance company, as the Government moves to sell off one of its last remaining state enterprises since the fall of communism 17 years ago. The forthcoming privatization is almost an afterthought for an insurance sector that has been m [...] |
2008-02-27 12:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV EFIN AL |
| 08TIRANA149 |
THE RESURRECTION OF FATOS NANO? WE'RE STILL WAITING [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The role of former Prime Minister Fatos Nano in Albanian politics has been debated widely, particularly since his fall from the Prime Ministership and resignation as chair of the Socialist Party (SP) in 2005. Relinquishing the SP mantle to Tirana Mayor Edi Rama seemed uncharact [...] |
2008-02-27 15:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA152 |
ALBANIA: 2007 TRFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-28 11:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM AL KCRM KWMN SMIG KRD ASEC PREF |
| 08TIRANA161 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, FEBRUARY 23-29, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) The Honeymoon is Over: It was to be expected, bu [...] |
2008-02-29 16:59:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KV AL |
| 08TIRANA162 |
POSTCARD FROM ALBANIA: NEW KIDS ON THE POLITICAL AND [...] (U) This cable is part of an occasional series entitled "Postcards from Albania." These messages are prepared by our locally employed staff to provide analysis, opinions and commentary on Albanian reality from an Albanian perspective. This cable was contributed by a member of the Front Offi [...] |
2008-03-01 16:00:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA169 |
ALBANIA WILL SUPPORT AMB. SWING [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-04 11:13:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREF PREL SMIG AL |
| 08TIRANA172 |
IMPROVING THE ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT PROCESS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: At the conclusion of the department's annual process of updating and editing the Human Rights Report, embassies Tirana and Chisnau would like to make the following observations regarding the substance of the reports, the process of updating them from the field, and the process o [...] |
2008-03-04 11:15:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL |
| 08TIRANA174 |
ELECTORAL REFORMS FOR NATO LEAD TO A "THIRD POLE" [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Albanian political spectrum changed abruptly when Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) Chairman Ilir Meta declared that his party would no longer participate in the left-wing coalition. Rather, Meta registered a new, competing coalition, to which he hopes to attract [...] |
2008-03-07 13:32:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA175 |
EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- February 17, KOSOVO: Formerly declared independence; the event was at the forefront of regional media (Albania, Croatia, Bosnia I Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia) reports. 2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTI [...] |
2008-03-07 14:30:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA177 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO DECLARE DISMISSAL OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a decision that is yet to be announced, the Albanian Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of former Prosecutor General (PG) Theodor Sollaku, finding the Parliamentary Commission that headed the dismissal procedure against Sollaku violated the constitutional principle of s [...] |
2008-03-07 16:52:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA179 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MARCH 1-7, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) BUSINESS AS USUAL? NOT ANYMORE: This week in Al [...] |
2008-03-10 06:21:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA180 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MARCH 1-7, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) BUSINESS AS USUAL? NOT ANYMORE: This week in Al [...] |
2008-03-10 07:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA184 |
ALBANIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER ON OIC AND KOSOVO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Albanian Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha expressed frustration with the Organization of the Islamic Conference, not only its slowness to recognize Kosovo's independence, but efforts by "heavyweight" members to marginalize Albania's participation in the organization. He suggested [...] |
2008-03-10 15:55:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL KV AL |
| 08TIRANA185 |
ALBANIA OFFERS NEW ISAF CONTRIBUTIONS [...] (C) Minister of Defense Mediu and President Topi have informally suggested Albania might contribute to an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT). Albania will have almost 500 troops deployed on various missions when it sends a second company to Iraq later this year. On a per capita ba [...] |
2008-03-10 16:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL MOPS MARR AL |
| 08TIRANA186 |
Oil Discovery in Albania Premature, But Still Promising [...] (U) This cable contains sensitive business proprietary information. Not for Internet distribution. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Recent speculation that newly discovered oil and gas deposits in Albania could lead to an energy bonanza is premature. However, a Swiss-based oil exploration company, usi [...] |
2008-03-11 06:22:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG EINV AL |
| 08TIRANA187 |
REPORT ON ALBANIA'S FISCAL TRANSPARENCY [...] Per Reftel, post submits the following report for the Department's congressionally-mandated report on fiscal transparency in countries receiving USG assistance: 2. With continual prodding from the U.S., EU, and International Financial Institutions, the Government of Albania (GOA) has taken [...] |
2008-03-11 06:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA193 |
ALBANIANS WILL WELCOME NATO MEMBERSHIP ... ALTHOUGH [...] (U) NATO membership is strongly supported by the Albanian public and officialdom -- over ninety percent favor membership, according to the media and GOA officials. There are numerous reasons for this. Emerging from years of isolation, Albanians want to feel and be recognized as the Europeans [...] |
2008-03-14 10:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | NATO PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA195 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MARCH 8-14, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS - MUSLIM GIRLS AND THE [...] |
2008-03-14 15:26:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA196 |
ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS PARLIAMENTARIANS' ATTACK ON [...] In response to a public assault on a reporter by two Members of Parliament, senior Albanian government officials, led by Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Speaker of Parliament Jozefina Topalli, issued tough statements March 13 condemning violence against the media. In his statement, Berisha te [...] |
2008-03-14 16:17:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA198 |
ALBANIA: AMBASSADOR SUPPORTS MIL-MIL EXPLOSIVE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-17 11:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID SENV PARM AL |
| 08TIRANA199 |
DEFENSE MINISTER MEDIU RESIGNS OVER WEEKEND [...] (C) In a one-on-one meeting March 17, Albanian Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu told the Ambassador that he would resign later that afternoon. The proximate cause of his departure, he maintained, was "moral responsibility" for the March 15 explosions at a military weapons depot that to date ha [...] |
2008-03-17 14:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV NATO PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA200 |
ALBANIA: FATAL EXPLOSION IN MUNITIONS DEPOT [...] (U) At approximately 11:45 AM (local) March 15, an ammunition storage facility near the town of Gerdec (N41 deg 24 min 40 sec, E19 deg 37 min 52 sec), between Tirana and Durres, caught fire. Shortly after 12:00, a violent explosion destroyed homes in the immediate vicinity of the depot and cau [...] |
2008-03-17 19:15:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MASS EAID NATO SENV AL |
| 08TIRANA202 |
ALBANIA'S GOVERNMENT OCCUPIED WITH DAMAGE CONTROL [...] (SBU) Shortly after Minister of Defense Fatmir Mediu resigned on March 17 (Refs A and B), Prime Minister Sali Berisha held a press conference at which reporters pressed him to comment on the ties between Mediu and an American company, Southern Ammunition Company, Inc. (SACI). Reporters displa [...] |
2008-03-19 11:21:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MASS SENV NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA204 |
ALBANIAN PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE SEEKS URGENT ASSISTANCE TO [...] (U) This is an action request -- please see para 3. 2. (U) Prosecutor General Ina Rama has assigned the chief of the Tirana district prosecutor's office, Genti Xholi, to head the criminal investigation into the causes of the fatal March 15 explosion. (Note: Xholi is well and favorably [...] |
2008-03-19 14:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM EAID PREL PGOV SENV ASEC AL |
| 08TIRANA21 |
Inflation Likely to Be Modest in 2008 as Albania's Economy [...] Rising inflation in the second half of 2007 has stoked public anxiety in Albania, especially price increases for food. Although inflation will likely increase in 2008 over last year's rate of 3.0 percent, it is expected to stay within the GOA's target rate for inflation. End Summary. Infl [...] |
2008-01-10 15:02:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA211 |
ALBANIA'S DECAYING MUNITIONS - SO MUCH TO DO, SO [...] (C) SUMMARY: The March 15 fireball over Gerdec shown on international news programs reminded the world of Albania's enormous overhang of dangerous, decaying weapons. Over 100,000 tons of munitions, from small caliber to 160 mm artillery shells, are disintegrating in 44 poorly maintained and [...] |
2008-03-20 13:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PARM PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA213 |
AMBASSADOR WARNS OPPOSITION LEADER AGAINST LOSING [...] (C) In a one-on-one meeting with the Ambassador on March 20, Socialist Party (SP) Chair and Tirana Mayor Edi Rama declared flatly that "Prime Minister Berisha must go." In a lengthy monologue, Rama referred to Berisha's incompetence, corruption in his administration, Berisha's son's alleged [...] |
2008-03-20 17:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA218 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MARCH 15-21, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. This week's report is dedicated to the victims and survivors of the disastrous explosions at Gerdec on March 15, and focuses on the [...] |
2008-03-21 16:13:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM PARM MASS AL |
| 08TIRANA219 |
ADDITIONAL ALBANIAN REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE -- SITE [...] (U) In the aftermath of the tragic Gerdec munitions explosion (ref A), the GOA has asked for USG assistance in site clean-up. (See also Ref B, which requests assistance in the investigation.) Deputy Prime Minister (and Defense Minister nominee) Gazmend Oketa sent the following letter to Ambassa [...] |
2008-03-21 16:17:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MASS EAID NATO SENV AL |
| 08TIRANA220 |
ALBANIA ASKS FOR VICTIM IDENTIFICATION ASSISTANCE -- SECOND [...] (U) In the aftermath of the tragic Gervec munitions explosion (ref A), the MOI has now seconded PG Ina Rama's request (ref B) for USG assistance to identify victims' remains through DNA analysis. Interior Minister Nishani sent the following letter to Ambassador Withers on March 21. 2. (SBU) [...] |
2008-03-21 16:26:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | MASS EAID NATO SENV AL |
| 08TIRANA221 |
ALBANIA DISASTER DECLARATION [...] I hereby declare a disaster in Albania to assist the large number of people that were displaced from their homes and livelihoods by a massive explosion that occurred in Albania on March 15 (reftel). I request USD 50,000 for immediate disaster relief from USAID/OFDA. 2. At approximately 11 [...] |
2008-03-21 16:37:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV EAID PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA222 |
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OKETA TO BE NEXT DEFENSE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-21 17:06:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA223 |
ALBANIA: IN WAKE OF EXPLOSION, PRESIDENT TOPI [...] (C) Ambassador met President Topi on March 21 to deliver the President's condolence letter (Ref A). Topi was touched by the letter and noted in particular the last paragraph emphasizing Albania's good record on ridding itself of excess munitions and the importance of pressing forward with [...] |
2008-03-21 17:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA23 |
GOA EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR ELECTORAL REFORM PROJECT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The GOA has extended the deadline for tender proposals for a concession to produce a new national identification card and biometric passport to February 28. On November 8, following a prolonged and controversial drafting process that took almost a year, the GOA announced the o [...] |
2008-01-11 10:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA251 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MARCH 22-28, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ----------------------------------- POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ----------------------------------- 2. (SBU) Choreogr [...] |
2008-03-28 17:32:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM PARM AL |
| 08TIRANA252 |
Macedonia's Ahmeti Visits Tirana [...] (U) Ali Ahmeti, the Macedonian Chairman of the Democratic Union of Integration (DUI), visited Tirana on March 25, where he was received by Prime Minister Berisha, President Topi, Speaker Topalli and Albania's opposition leaders. Ahmeti expressed solidarity from the Albanian community in Maced [...] |
2008-03-31 05:30:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MK AL |
| 08TIRANA255 |
GOA URGES PRESHEVO VALLEY ALBANIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN [...] (U) Local Albanian leaders from Serbia's Preshevo Valley visited Tirana March 31 to discuss upcoming elections and general concerns about the rights of ethnic Albanian residents. Representatives of the four major Albanian political parties, including Riza Halimi, Chairman of the Party for Dem [...] |
2008-04-02 05:40:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL YI AL |
| 08TIRANA262 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MARCH 29-APRIL 4, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. This week's report focuses on the invitation to NATO membership extended by the Allies April 3 in Bucharest, Romania. ---------- [...] |
2008-04-04 16:01:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA265 |
GERDEC: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? [...] (U) SUMMARY: As Albanian leaders accepted their historic NATO invitation in Bucharest, the political fallout from the Gerdec tragedy continues at home. Despite the quick government relief response to the crisis and the resignation of former Defense Minister Mediu, a feeding frenzy continues [...] |
2008-04-07 06:04:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PARM AL |
| 08TIRANA27 |
ALBANIA PERPLEXED BY MACEDONIA'S PROPOSED VISA [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to Albanian press reports, starting on March 1 Macedonia will require most Albanian citizens to get visas from the Macedonian Embassy in Tirana instead of, as is currently possible, at the border crossing. Macedonia, an EU candidate country, claims the move is the re [...] |
2008-01-11 17:44:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA28 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, JANUARY 4-10, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------- [...] |
2008-01-11 18:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA287 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, APRIL 5-11, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (SBU) TIME FOR A CHANGE: The Albanian Parliamentary [...] |
2008-04-11 16:22:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA292 |
SUPREME COURT SUSPENDS TWO MAJOR CRIMINAL CASES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Chief Justice of the Albanian Supreme Court, Thimio Kondi, issued two suspension decisions in December 2007 that froze the application of criminal sentences on two trafficking-related cases pending the final decision of the Supreme Court. Kondi's decision froze the enforc [...] |
2008-04-14 14:39:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KCRM PGOV PREL AL IT |
| 08TIRANA308 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, APRIL 12-18, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) DIVISION WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY: Until now [...] |
2008-04-18 16:31:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA314 |
META USES ELECTORAL REFORM TO HIS ADVANTAGE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Ilir Meta, Chair of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) party, has increased public attacks on opposition leader Edi Rama as he has worked to build a stronger political base outside of the opposition Socialist Party (SP)-led coalition. Following his public break-up with [...] |
2008-04-21 12:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA318 |
EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- 15 March: Gerdec munitions site detonation: Significant reporting via cable and news media. Following embassy brief, MA called the USCG training team in Vlore regarding initial (and subsequent) opinions indicating accidental (v [...] |
2008-04-21 12:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA328 |
GERDEC AFTERMATH - GOA INDECISIVE [...] (C) In response to the March 15 Gerdec tragedy, the international community has mobilized efforts to provide humanitarian relief and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance and stepped up plans to rid Albania of over 100,000 tons of decaying munitions before another catastrophe happens. The GOA ha [...] |
2008-04-23 13:38:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PARM PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA33 |
PRESIDENT TOPI TO EMPHASIZE TOLERANCE IN JANUARY 25-27 [...] (SBU) Deputy Foreign Minister Edith Harxhi told us on Janury 11 of upcoming plans for President Topi to visit Kosovo January 25-27. Harxhi said he would travel with a delegation of some 90 people. This trip has now been released in the press, which reported the entourage could reach 100, to i [...] |
2008-01-15 09:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA331 |
ALBANIA: MANPADS REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE [...] (U) Embassy has received the following letter date April 23, 2008, addressed to Major Larry D. Harrison, Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation, from Lieutenant General Luan Hoxha, Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, requesting U.S. military assistance with man-portable air-defense systems [...] |
2008-04-24 10:37:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM MASS PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA332 |
MINISTER OF DEFENSE WANTS TO GIVE UP MANPADS [...] (C) CDA, DATT, ODC Chief and Polmil Off on April 23 met with Minister of Defense Oketa to clarify the status of MANPADS destruction, requested by Oketa in a March 21 letter to Ambassador Withers (ref A). Contacts with the Minister and CHOD since that request indicated that Oketa might be reco [...] |
2008-04-24 12:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PARM PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA334 |
ALBANIAN REACTION TO US PROPOSED PAPERS FOR THE NPT [...] No summary [...] |
2008-04-25 11:44:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MNUC IAEA ENRG PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA335 |
ALBANIAN ACKNOWLEDGES U.S. POSITION ON TURKEY'S EBRD [...] No summary [...] |
2008-04-25 12:44:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREL TU AL |
| 08TIRANA338 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, APRIL 19-25, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) A GRAND CELEBRATION OF THE PROPHET'S BIRTHDAY: [...] |
2008-04-25 16:00:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA345 |
REVIVING ALBANIAN OIL INDUSTRY MAY BE ATTRACTING RUSSIAN [...] (SBU) Albania, which possesses one of continental Europe's largest oil fields and has seen promising new finds for additional oil and gas reserves, is substantially expanding its oil production through Western investment. Increased interest by foreign investors in Albania's oil sector is mark [...] |
2008-04-29 16:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ENRG EPET EINV AL |
| 08TIRANA35 |
VLORE: CENTER OF CIVIC ACTION [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Citizen's Alliance for the Protection of the Vlore Bay, the "Vlore Alliance," an environmentally-focused civil society organization that works to protect Albania's central coast, has recently intensified efforts to push for reconsideration of large-scale oil storage and therma [...] |
2008-01-15 11:28:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ECON ENRG SENV AL |
| 08TIRANA353 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) ANNUAL FREEDOM HOUSE RESULTS: Albania scored a [...] |
2008-05-02 14:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA369 |
REPORT OF SUSPECTED ASYLUM FRAUD: NDOJ, GJIN (A# [...] SUMMARY. Evidence revealed during a Visas 92 interview at embassy Tirana indicates that the I-589 asylee statement of Gjin NDOJ (DPOB 17 SEP 1960), ALBANIA, (A# 99-432-645) contains falsified material information. END SUMMARY. 2. Gjin Ndoj was granted asylum in New York, New York on May [...] |
2008-05-09 14:30:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | CVIS PREF PHUM KFRD AL |
| 08TIRANA370 |
FRAUD IN DOCUMENTS FROM ALBANIAN CIVIL REGISTRIES [...] SUMMARY. Post has witnessed a high incidence of civil documents issued by Albanian civil registries containing fraudulent vital information. In some of these cases the blame rests with the Albanian court system which is often too willing to issue a decision changing vital information without [...] |
2008-05-09 14:30:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS PREF PHUM KFRD AL |
| 08TIRANA372 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 3-9, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) TAKE A STAND AGAINST CORRUPTION: USAID released [...] |
2008-05-09 16:02:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA373 |
ALBANIA: THE UN'S BRAIN GAIN PROGRAM -- TARGETED AT HIGHER [...] (U) SUMMARY: Albania's higher education system has undergone major changes since the fall of communism. Reforming it has been a priority of every government since, though each has devoted varying levels of resources and effort toward improving this vital societal foundation. The brain drain p [...] |
2008-05-09 16:20:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV SOCI UN AL |
| 08TIRANA378 |
ALBANIA: FORMER INTELLIGENCE SERVICE DIRECTOR, NOW [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Berisha has refused to dismiss a senior government official facing criminal investigation. The General Director of Tax Administration, Arben Sefgjini, was formally charged by the Prosecutor's office for kidnapping and torture with grave consequences during his previous se [...] |
2008-05-13 18:03:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PINR PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA382 |
ALBANIA, SCENESETTER FOR HENRIETTA FORE, ADMINISTRATOR OF [...] (SBU) Henrietta Fore, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development and Director of United States Foreign Assistance will visit Albania from May 17-19, 2008. Administrator Fore's purpose in visiting Albania is to convey to the Government of Albania (GoA), judicial officials, busines [...] |
2008-05-15 08:55:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL EAID AL |
| 08TIRANA386 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 10-16, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) WHERE REAL ESTATE IS STILL BOOMING: This week, t [...] |
2008-05-16 14:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA388 |
SCENESETTER FOR GAZMOND OKETA, ALBANIA'S DEFENSE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Minister of Defense Gazmond Oketa visits Washington May 21-23 for his first official visit as Defense Minister. Oketa is eager to fulfill all military requirements necessary for his country to enter NATO next year, and he would be receptive to any suggestions of what should be [...] |
2008-05-19 13:04:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA394 |
CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH TIMS DATACOM SYSTEM IN ALBANIA [...] (SBU) As part of the combined donor effort to improve rule of law in Albania, the Department of Justice's International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) in Albania has worked with the Albanian State Police (ASP) to install Total Information Management System (TIMS), a [...] |
2008-05-22 15:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA397 |
GOA SIMPLIFIES TAX PAYMENT PROCEUDRES [...] On May 12, the Finance Ministry eliminated the rule requiring taxpayers to bring in their accounting records to government tax offices for "verification" every month. Whatever the original intent of this "verification" rule, it was not used as an audit mechanism, as the General Directorate of [...] |
2008-05-23 14:46:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA398 |
RIPPLES FROM A BOULDER: AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS RENEW [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The release of USAID's annual report on corruption perceptions, and a pointed speech delivered by Ambassador Withers at its May 7 launch, reignited the stagnant debate on corruption in Albania and prompted some prickly Government responses. The event received wide media attent [...] |
2008-05-23 15:04:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA399 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 17-23, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) CHANGE, YES WE CAN: The newest Albanian politica [...] |
2008-05-23 16:04:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA403 |
ALBANIA: USE OF CHILD LABOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-28 14:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI AL |
| 08TIRANA404 |
GOA Acknowledges Risks to Inhabitants within 800 Meter [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Berisha responded May 27 to Charge Cristina's May 2 letter in which the Charge asked the PM to warn area residents and other citizens of explosive and environmental dangers in an area up to 800 meters from the blast zone. Berisha stated that the GOA will actively inform ci [...] |
2008-05-28 15:52:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MASS NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA406 |
ALBANIA: BUILDING A HAZWASTE FACILITY SHOULD BE A [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see Paragraph 10. 2. (C) Leaking containers of hazardous waste left behind by U.S. contractors after a successful chemical agent elimination program have again sparked MOD,s interest for help in building a hazardous waste storage facility. According to [...] |
2008-05-30 12:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | SENV CWC PARM MASS AL |
| 08TIRANA411 |
UIGHURS (AND OTHERS) IN ALBANIA [...] (SBU) The Government of Albania accepted eight former Guantanamo detainees as refugees -- five Uighurs, and one each Algerian, Egyptian, and Uzbek. All the refugees now live outside Albania's Babrru Refugee Center in apartments rented for them by the GOA. The GOA is providing language and [...] |
2008-06-02 08:59:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREF PHUM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA412 |
WEAK SENTENCES IN HIGH PROFILE ALBANIAN CORRUPTION TRIAL [...] (SBU) Albanian justice is off to a slow start in fighting the country's endemic corruption. On May 19, the Tirana District Court sentenced Nikolin Jaka, former Deputy Minister of Transportation, to 19 months in prison and Ilirjan Berzani, the former General Director of Roads, to three years i [...] |
2008-06-02 10:26:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA413 |
THE WORK OF THE OSCE PRESENCE IN ALBANIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The OSCE Presence in Albania (PIA) will present its Programme Outline in Vienna on June 3, in preparation for discussions of its 2009 budget. Post supports overall USG policy to reduce expenditures of OSCE Balkan Missions in a desire to push for greater OSCE presence further e [...] |
2008-06-02 11:09:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV OSCE AL |
| 08TIRANA414 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 24-30, 2008: THE MEDIA ISSUE [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. With the death of one of Albania's most powerful media moguls, this week's issue focuses on the media. ------------------ MEDIA [...] |
2008-06-02 13:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA416 |
POSTCARDS FROM ALBANIA: ALBANIA'S 21ST CENTURY GOLD RUSH [...] (U) This cable is part of an occasional series entitled "Postcards from Albania." These cables are prepared by our locally engaged staff to provide analysis, opinions and commentary on Albanian reality from an Albanian perspective. This cable was contributed by a member of the Pol-Econ staf [...] |
2008-06-03 14:37:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA424 |
GOA SIMPLIFIES TAX PAYMENT PROCEUDRES [...] On May 12, the Finance Ministry eliminated the rule requiring taxpayers to bring in their accounting records to government tax offices for "verification" every month. Whatever the original intent of this "verification" rule, it was not used as an audit mechanism, as the General Directorate of [...] |
2008-06-06 16:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA426 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------------------- 2. (U) CLASHES OVER HIGH COURT NOMINATIONS: It has been [...] |
2008-06-06 16:52:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA432 |
EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- 14 April: MA met with USAID and US Department of Agriculture, Forestry Service International Programs training team, and coordinated the Incident Command System future training program. The Forest Service training program was dev [...] |
2008-06-10 09:58:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA433 |
BERISHA DISCUSSES CONCERNS OVER MACEDONIA [...] (SBU) Summary: Albanian Prime Minister Berisha believes political instability in Macedonia will continue for the foreseeable future. However, he sees no deeper crisis on the horizon and believes the Macedonian leadership can eventually put the genie of ethnic nationalism back into its bottle. [...] |
2008-06-10 16:46:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA438 |
HAGUE ABDUCTION ACCESS - ALBANIA [...] Albania has acceded to the 1980 Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction and the Convention entered into force in Albania on August 1, 2007. Central Authority 2. Albania has designated the Ministry of Justice as the Central Authority pursuant to the Convention. Compatibilit [...] |
2008-06-12 05:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | CASC KOCI AL |
| 08TIRANA444 |
GERDEC SURVIVORS' HUNGER STRIKE PRESSURES GOA [...] (U) Twelve weeks after the March 15 explosion at Gerdec, compensation remains a key demand for many survivors. Eight former employees of the Gerdec ammunition disassembly plant began a hunger strike June 6, demanding additional financial compensation and other reimbursements from the GOA. Wh [...] |
2008-06-13 15:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA469 |
GOA REACTION TO 2008 TIP REPORT [...] (C) Ambassador Withers demarched Foreign Minister Basha on the 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report findings (Ref A) and DCM and Poloff delivered the same to Minister of Interior Nishani, Deputy Minister Zajmi, and Director of Police Prenci on June 3. Foreign Minister Basha was the first to rec [...] |
2008-06-20 13:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB KCRM KPAO KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG AL |
| 08TIRANA470 |
FORMER CHOD TELLS HIS STORY: GERDEC CLAIMS ANOTHER [...] (C) The tenacity and fervor of recent political events, from the passage of controversial constitutional changes in mid-April to the June 16 voting down of five Supreme Court Justice nominees, makes little sense on the surface without an underlying motive. Rumors swirl around the capital as t [...] |
2008-06-20 15:38:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA487 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA - THE ROAD ISSUE, JUNE 21 - JUNE 27, [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. This week's issue focuses on the current state of the construction of Albania's most ambitious road project to date. ----------- [...] |
2008-06-27 15:11:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA488 |
PM THACI'S FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO ALBANIA [...] (U) SUMMARY: Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci paid a two-day official visit to Albania June 19 and 20, accompanied by a 27-member delegation. It was the first visit of a Kosovar leader since the country declared independence on February 17. Thaci met with top political leaders including Pr [...] |
2008-06-30 13:32:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL KV |
| 08TIRANA493 |
DIALOGUE WITH ALBANIANS FORM BASIS FOR NEW SP GOVERNING [...] Tirana Mayor and Socialist Party Chairman Edi Rama has met with thousands of citizens throughout Albania in a series of city and village gatherings reminiscent of town hall meetings in the United States. This is the first time such meetings have been held by political leaders in Albania. Thi [...] |
2008-07-03 09:56:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA496 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, JUNE 28 - JULY 3, 2008 [...] The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. ----------------------------- CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEVELOPMETNS ----------------------------- 2. NOTORIOUS CRIME GANG TRIAL FINALLY [...] |
2008-07-03 15:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA50 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, JANUARY 11-17, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------- [...] |
2008-01-18 17:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA502 |
ALBANIA PRESSES FOR KOSOVO RECOGNITION AT ISLAMIC [...] (SBU) Summary: The GOA unsuccessfully lobbied the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to recognize Kosovo's independence at the group's June 16 to 18 meeting of foreign ministers in Kampala. The GOA believes that several OIC countries are likely to recognize Kosovo over the next sev [...] |
2008-07-08 05:40:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PNAT KISL KV AL |
| 08TIRANA555 |
Albania Shuffles Ministers [...] (SBU) After several months of media speculation, Prime Minister Berisha on July 23 submitted the following proposed changes to his cabinet to President Topi for approval: -- Education Minister Genc Pollo, head of the New Democracy Party, will become Deputy Prime Minister. -- Deputy Speaker [...] |
2008-07-24 15:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA556 |
ALBANIA'S HAZARDOUS WASTE STRATEGY [...] Albania is effectively reaching out for donor support to deal with the country's hazardous waste (HW) problem. The Ministry of Environment (MOE) has identified nine "hot zones" contaminated with several kinds of dangerous chemicals left over from the communist era. MOE has been working with [...] |
2008-07-25 06:09:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL SENV AL |
| 08TIRANA557 |
Albania's Success in a Criminal Financial Investigation [...] (U) SUMMARY: Scoring a major victory in a complex financial investigation, police and prosecutors with the Joint Investigative Unit to Fight Economic Crime and Corruption (JIU) arrested the head of a criminal group and his 16 collaborators for robbing ATM machines. END SUMMARY. 2. (U) D [...] |
2008-07-25 11:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCRM PREL AL ASEC |
| 08TIRANA56 |
ALBANIA: ASSESSMENT OF NATO READINESS [...] (U) The following headings track those in Ref A: All Intel Topics ---------------- 2. (SBU) Please see Ref B for an overview of Albania's intelligence services. 3. (C) Successive democratic Albanian governments, both Democratic Party (DP) and Socialist Party (SP) led, have worked to [...] |
2008-01-22 15:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL PINR AL |
| 08TIRANA561 |
ALBANIA SUPPORTS IAEA INDIA SAFEGUARD AGREEMENT [...] No summary [...] |
2008-07-25 15:06:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MNUC IAEA ENRG PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA564 |
GOA STILL UNDECIDED ON NAM PARTICIPATION [...] (U) DCM and PolOff delivered reftel points to MFA International Organizations Director Islam Lauka on July 25. 2. (SBU) Lauka said that the GOA had not yet decided officially on whether or not to attend the NAM conference, but said that a decision would be made by the end of the day on Ju [...] |
2008-07-25 15:40:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | NATO PREL PHUM PTER IR AL |
| 08TIRANA565 |
ALBANIA CONTACT INFORMATION UPDATE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-07-28 09:21:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA566 |
ALBANIAN OFFICIALS TO ATTEND UNGA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-07-28 09:34:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP AL |
| 08TIRANA579 |
PARLIAMENT APPROVES HIGH COURT NOMINEES, ADJOURNS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Parliament ended its session on July 28 on a much-needed quiet note, approving all six of President Topi's nominees for the High Court, along with Prime Minister Berisha's proposed cabinet changes. Parliament's approval of the High Court nominees marked a welcome detente betwee [...] |
2008-07-30 11:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KJUS PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA58 |
ALBANIA WILL CONTINUE TO HELP KEEP PEACE IN KOSOVO [...] (C) As instructed reftel, Ambassador Withers on January 22 urged Albania's continued constructive and stabilizing role in the region with respect to the question of Kosovo's independence in separate meetings with Prime Minister Berisha and Foreign Minister Basha. He added that we are now ente [...] |
2008-01-23 13:47:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA585 |
BERISHA OUTBURST STILL THE TALK OF TIRANA [...] (SBU) One week on, Prime Minister Berisha's July 23 outburst in Parliament - in which he insulted and then threatened to kill opposition MP Taulant Balla in unprintably profane terms - continues to be a major focus of the press, as well as a source of speculation, head scratching and embarras [...] |
2008-08-01 05:41:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA589 |
GOA REACTION TO NEW GLOBAL INITIATIVE PARTNERS [...] (U) Embassy delivered points in reftel to Mr. Sajmir Repishti, Chief of the UN Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Repishti thanked post for information on the recent admittance of Mauritius and Uzbekistan to the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GI). Mr. Repishti had no [...] |
2008-08-04 05:26:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL PTER KGIC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA59 |
First Criminal Terrorism Finance Case Hits Albanian [...] (U) SUMMARY: In December 2007, Hamzeh Abu Rayyan, the administrator for UN 1267 designated terrorist financier Yassin al-Qadi, was criminally charged with hiding funds used to finance terror. This marks the first time that an individual has been charged with terrorism financing in Albania. [...] |
2008-01-23 14:20:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KTFN PTER PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA60 |
CONSUMERS FLOCKING TO SHOPPING MALLS AS ALBANIA'S ECONOMY [...] The opening of modern shopping malls in Tirana is a sign of Albania's economic development and growing affluence. The retail economy is beginning to transition away from small family-owned stores with limited product lines to large, Western-style shopping centers. These new shopping outlets [...] |
2008-01-24 06:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV SOCI AL |
| 08TIRANA611 |
ALBANIA AGREES TO DISCUSS RESETTLEMENT OF GITMO [...] (C) Summary: On 17 June 2008, Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Clint Williamson met with Albanian government officials to encourage them to talk about their experiences in accepting detainees from the U.S. military base at Guantanamo. The GOA was very open to discussing their experience wi [...] |
2008-08-08 07:37:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KAWC PGOV PHUM PREF PREL CH AL |
| 08TIRANA617 |
VLORE ANTI-TRAFFICKING NGO TO STAY OPEN AFTER FUNDING PULLS [...] SUMMARY: On July 11 PolOff and the USAID Anti-Trafficking Advisor met with staff from the Vatra Shelter, one of the oldest anti-trafficking NGOs in Albania. Vatra is one of four non-governmental reintegration shelters which provides a package of social services to repatriated victims of traff [...] |
2008-08-11 14:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA624 |
ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET [...] For the third year in a row, tax and customs revenue collection exceeded forecasts for the first half of the year. Collections were seven percent (USD 81 million) above plan, allowing the Parliament to approve a supplementary budget on July 24. Although the GOA has reduced both business and [...] |
2008-08-12 16:06:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EAID PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA632 |
ALBANIA'S CELL PHONE RATES - HIGHEST IN THE REGION [...] Albania's nascent telecom regulator and increasing competition are finally beginning to soften mobile tariffs, currently the highest in the Balkans and among the highest in Europe. Two operators, AMC and Vodafone, had virtually free reign to set prices as they chose from 2000 to 2007, raking [...] |
2008-08-15 11:46:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECPS ECON EINV AL |
| 08TIRANA653 |
IS ALBANIA FACING A BANKING CRISIS? [...] (C) Despite slowing economic growth in the U.S. and EU, Albania continues to report a six percent GDP growth. However, one prominent Albanian banker worries that the rapidly rising number of non-performing retail loans could soon lead to bank failures and consolidations and weaken the banking [...] |
2008-08-26 15:15:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA66 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, JANUARY 18 - 25, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------- [...] |
2008-01-25 16:57:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA67 |
Criminal Prosecutions Increase in Albania [...] (U) Summary: Criminal prosecutions in Albania have accelerated since the creation of the Joint Investigative Unit (JIU) to fight Economic Crime and Corruption in the Tirana District Prosecution Office in September, 2007. Two corruption cases against government officials are currently being tr [...] |
2008-01-26 06:38:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCRM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA675 |
PM BERISHA'S DEMOCRATIC BACKSLIDING [...] (C) SUMMARY: Since the Bucharest Summit in April, Prime Minister Berisha has embarkedon eries of attempts to consolidate his powerat the expense of key independent institutions, ncluding efforts to undermine and interfere in te work of the Prosecutor General, obstruct the onging investigatio [...] |
2008-09-05 11:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KJUS PHUM PINR AL |
| 08TIRANA686 |
PM PLAYS NICE, PRESIDENT EXPRESSES CONCERN IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In separate meetings on September 4 and 5, a conciliatory Prime Minister Berisha and a frustrated President Topi discussed NATO ratification and the draft media, intelligence agency and Prosecutor General laws with Ambassador Withers. In response to the Ambassador's concerns tha [...] |
2008-09-11 05:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KJUS PHUM PINR ECPS AL |
| 08TIRANA697 |
URGENT ACTION REQUEST FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT [...] (SBU) Embassy Tirana requests urgent assistance in responding to a GOA request for help in investigating a September 12 traffic accident that resulted in the death of a key witness in a high profile, ongoing investigation. The GOA has offered to pay for all expenses associated with any U.S. [...] |
2008-09-13 14:15:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ASEC PREL KJUS PINS AL |
| 08TIRANA7 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, DECEMBER 28, 2007- [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ----------------------------------- ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL [...] |
2008-01-04 15:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV SOCI PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA71 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 1 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. --------------------- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS ------------ [...] |
2008-02-01 14:20:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA723 |
ALBANIA WILL OPPOSE KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION [...] (SBU) A/DCM delivered reftel demarche to Director General for Multilateral Affairs Spiro Koci. Koci said Albania will oppose the Serbian resolution, and will make a statement opposing the resolution during the debate on October 8. CRISTINA [...] |
2008-10-06 12:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNGA AL |
| 08TIRANA731 |
ALBANIA WILL BENEFIT FROM NEW PRIVATE EQUITY FUND [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-08 06:29:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV AL |
| 08TIRANA745 |
GREECE PRESSURING ALBANIA ON BORDER, CEMETERY [...] (C) Summary: The Greek government is pressuring the GOA to accept its demands in bilateral negotiations to demarcate the two countries' maritime border. Athens is also threatening to refuse to ratify Albania's Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU over a contentious issue inv [...] |
2008-10-09 13:28:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV GR AL |
| 08TIRANA752 |
BERISHA LAUNCHES RENEWED ASSAULT ON PROSECUTOR [...] (C) SUMMARY: Beginning on October 10 and continuing over the weekend, Prime Minister Berisha and the Ministry of Justice began a new campaign to intimidate and obstruct the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General. Alleging that the PG's Office had broken the law while trying last week to [...] |
2008-10-14 15:15:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KJUS PHUM KCOR KCRM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA757 |
ALBANIAN BANKS SEE HIGHER WITHDRAWALS [...] (C) Albania seems to be weathering the global credit crunch better than many Western countries but there are signs of potential problems. Recently, the Ministry of Finance postponed a Eurobond offering, originally scheduled for late spring, due to turbulence in the credit markets and the poss [...] |
2008-10-16 11:08:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA758 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON DESIGNATION OF THE ISLAMIC [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-16 14:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD PARM KNNP EUN EWWT PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA770 |
SCENESETTER FOR EUR DAS STUART JONES' VISIT TO [...] (U) Embassy Tirana warmly welcomes your visit to Tirana, a city you will find unrecognizable since your last visit to Albania 14 years ago. 2. (C) Your visit comes at a time of growing uncertainty for the Albanian public and especially for Albania's political class. Although the past yea [...] |
2008-10-24 09:30:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KJUS ECON MARR AL |
| 08TIRANA774 |
G-99 MOVEMENT LOOKS TO 2009 ELECTIONS FOR CHANGE [...] (C) Summary: In an October 22 meeting with Ambassador, Erion Veliaj, leader of the G-99 political movement, said the June 2009 elections are a "golden opportunity" for Albania to showcase its democratic progress. Veliaj said his movement, which aims at younger, more urban voters, has strong s [...] |
2008-10-24 14:27:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA775 |
REQUEST FOR DOD EOD SUPPORT TO ALBANIA [...] (U) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST - SEE ALSO PARAGRAPHS 7 AND 8. Post requests Department assistance in securing EOD support from the Department of Defense to assist the government of Albania in its efforts to eliminate 100,000 tons of destabilized unexploded conventional munitions (DUCMs) that [...] |
2008-10-27 10:21:00 | Embassy Tirana | SECRET | MARR PREL MASS AL |
| 08TIRANA786 |
Embassy Tirana Weekly Report [...] As Albania enters the rainy season, common citizens are waiting for the rain to provide some security in the supply of electricity over the winter season. The government is looking forward to a rain of money, which is expected to hit Albania due to large projects currently in the planning sta [...] |
2008-10-31 15:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ENRG EFIN PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA787 |
SOFT BORDERS: KUKES AND PRIZREN [...] Summary. On October 28-29, Poloff visited the northern border town of Kukes to deliver a presentation at the local American Corner. In conversations and activities, it seemed that the city of Kukes, 15 minutes from the border with Kosovo, faces north more than south, with its interests large [...] |
2008-10-31 15:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL AL SMIG |
| 08TIRANA789 |
DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL IRANIAN ENTITIES AND [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-03 15:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP MNUC PREL PARM EFIN |
| 08TIRANA790 |
ALBANIA'S BANKING SECTOR SEEMS OK - FOR NOW [...] (SBU) International financial experts and the Governor of the Albanian Central Bank (CB) believe that Albania is weathering the global financial crisis quite well due to precautionary moves by the CB to keep deposits in Albania as well as a much lower ratio of loans to deposits than is common i [...] |
2008-11-04 12:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA793 |
MEDIA ATTACKS CONTINUE ON PG'S Office [...] (U) Over the weekend, two pro-PM Berisha media outlets unleashed another wave of attacks on Prosecutor General (PG) Ina Rama. TV Klan, one of the main pro-GOA TV outlets, aired an editorial which claimed Rama has smeared GOA officials during the course of her investigation of the Gerdec traged [...] |
2008-11-04 15:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA796 |
EUR DAS JONES' MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TOPI [...] (C) Summary: On October 30, President Bamir Topi told DAS Jones that Albania is moving forward with governmental reforms, although at times the debate is "harsh." He specifically cited Ambassador Withers, public statements as playing a helpful role in promoting independent institutions, thank [...] |
2008-11-05 13:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA797 |
DAS JONES MEETING WITH PM BERISHA [...] (C) Summary: In an October 29 meeting with DAS Jones, a tired and unhealthy-looking PM Sali Berisha offered both effusive praise for the U.S., as well as a rambling but spirited denial that he or the GOA were trying to undermine independent institutions, especially the judiciary. Berisha outl [...] |
2008-11-05 13:34:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA805 |
Embassy Tirana Weekly Report [...] Throughout the several months preceding the U.S. Presidential Election, major dailies carried local experts' comments on the U.S. electoral campaign and potential policy changes for the Balkans and Albania. Most concluded that whoever would emerge president-elect, U.S. policy toward Albania w [...] |
2008-11-10 15:24:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ENRG EFIN PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA806 |
GOA: WE UNDERSTAND THE CHAMS' COMPLAINTS, BUT. . . [...] (SBU) Summary: The Chams, ethnic Albanians expelled from Greece after World War II, are preparing to file a legal case in an undecided venue seeking Greek citizenship and/or compensation from the Greek government for the mistreatment they received during their forced expulsion. Little has been [...] |
2008-11-10 15:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL GR AL |
| 08TIRANA811 |
ALBANIA: HEAD IN THE SAND? [...] (C) Prime Minister Berisha appears so obsessed with winning the 2009 election that he seems totally oblivious to the possible economic problems facing Albania. Although the IMF and other international financial institutions (IFI) have forecast a relatively smooth passage through the global fi [...] |
2008-11-13 16:47:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA812 |
ALBANIA'S SMALL PARTIES STAGE HUNGER STRIKE [...] (U) On November 10, Ilir Meta, head of small opposition party LSI, gathered ten other small party leaders and disgruntled members of the DP and SP to protest the proposed electoral code by staging a hunger strike in the Parliament's plenary meeting room. They are protesting provisions in the [...] |
2008-11-13 17:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA814 |
ALBANIA: CORRUPTION CONTINUES IN STAFFING AAF [...] (C) Summary. The Albanian Ministry of Defense was disappointed to learn that its mission to Iraq will terminate at the end of December since Albania was not included in the list of Coalition countries the GOI will ask to stay. One reason may be the continuing practice of demanding bribes when [...] |
2008-11-14 15:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV MOPS AL |
| 08TIRANA823 |
HUNGER STRIKE ENDS, ELECTORAL CODE PASSES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: After an nine-day hunger strike on the floor of Parliament, eleven disheveled and defiant MPs left the chamber on the evening of November 18, shortly before the remaining MPs overwhelmingly voted in favor of the new electoral code by the lopsided score of 113-1. The ringleader [...] |
2008-11-19 14:14:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA825 |
GOA STRUGGLING TO CONTROL SOUTHERN BORDER [...] (C) Summary: On a November 14 visit to Gjirokaster and the Kakavije border point, GOA officials, while generally positive, bemoaned a lack of resources to effectively patrol the border for traffickers of humans, arms, narcotics and contraband. Working level cooperation with the Greek police s [...] |
2008-11-20 11:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | SMIG PREL KWMN KTIP PHUM SNAR PGOV AL GR |
| 08TIRANA826 |
HUNGER STRIKE ENDS, ELECTORAL CODE PASSES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: After an nine-day hunger strike on the floor of Parliament, eleven disheveled and defiant MPs left the chamber on the evening of November 18, shortly before the remaining MPs overwhelmingly voted in favor of te new electoral code by the lopsided score of 1131. The ringleader o [...] |
2008-11-20 11:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA827 |
DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOOKING (CAUTIOUSLY) TOWARDS LIFE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Seven months before the 2009 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Sali Berisha maintains a tight grip on his Democratic Party (DP). With nearly complete control over who gets on the party lists for the upcoming elections and no credible rivals within the party, Berisha is like [...] |
2008-11-20 15:23:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA828 |
ALBANIA: ELECTRICITY UPDATE [...] (SBU) Albania's electricity generating capacity is totally dependant on hydroelectric power. So far, rainfall in 2008 has been below normal, causing key reservoir levels to drop. The GOA, facing parliamentary elections in June 2009, fears a return to the 2006/2007 electricity crisis, during w [...] |
2008-11-20 15:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG ECON PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA835 |
OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS [...] On November 24, Poloff delivered reftel talking points and information to Saimir Repishti, Chief of the UN Division at the MFA. Repishti offered no substantive comment but promised to pass the information to his superiors for their consideration. WITHERS [...] |
2008-11-24 16:28:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNGA AL |
| 08TIRANA836 |
Embassy Tirana Weekly Report [...] The Ruling Democratic Party and the opposition Socialists were in a state of jubilation last week as Parliament passed with an over 90 per cent majority the new Electoral Code that will regulate the conduct of the upcoming general elections in Albania. With 113 votes in favor and only one agai [...] |
2008-11-25 12:04:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ENRG EFIN PREL PHUM AL |
| 08TIRANA837 |
OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS [...] (SBU) On November 25, Saimir Repishti, Chief of the UN Division at the MFA, told Poloff that Albania will abstain from voting on the three UNGA resolutions with anti-Israeli bias. WITHERS [...] |
2008-11-25 13:13:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL UNGA AL |
| 08TIRANA842 |
GOA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT FIRST COMMITTEE [...] On November 24, Poloff thanked Saimir Repishti, Chief of the UN Division at the MFA, for the GOA's support and co-sponsorship of the First Committee Resolution on Compliance. Repishti said the GOA will continue to support this resolution. WITHERS [...] |
2008-11-26 09:59:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | MNUC PARM PREL UNGA AL |
| 08TIRANA843 |
AN ELECTORAL BUDGET FOR 2009 [...] (U) On November 24, Parliament in principle approved the 2009 budget by a vote of 77-45, with all 77 yea votes coming from the ruling party. After this initial approval, the budget must still be formally approved by Parliament, but this is expected to occur on November 26. At about 5 billion [...] |
2008-11-26 13:01:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON EFIN PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA858 |
GOA LAMBASTES "POLITICALLY MOTIVATED" INDICTMENT [...] SUMMARY: (C) In recent days the GOA has intensified pressure on the Prosecutor General's (PG) office with two statements, one from the PM and a longer one from the MFA, which harshly criticized both the opposition and the PG for the "politically" motivated indictment of FM Lulzim Basha on Nov [...] |
2008-12-03 16:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON PHUM PREL KCOR KJUS AL |
| 08TIRANA86 |
ALBANIA'S PARLIAMENTARY RESOLUTION ON NATO MEMBERSHIP [...] On January 21, Parliament passed a resolution declaring it would do whatever is necessary to receive an invitation to join NATO. The resolution was introduced by the opposition Socialist Party and passed unanimously. This is the first time in the history of Albania's democratic Parliament th [...] |
2008-02-05 16:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | NATO PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA862 |
REMITTANCES TO ALBANIA HOLDING STEADY [...] (SBU) Fears of Albania's economy hitting the skids due to a fall in remittances may be overblown according to Western Union owner Edmund Leka. Leka told Embassy personnel that WU has not seen a noticeable decline in remittances, particularly from Italy and Greece, which remain the two largest [...] |
2008-12-05 15:28:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA863 |
G99 DESCRIBES STRATEGY FOR 2009 ELECTION [...] (SBU) Summary: In a December 5 meeting with the political section head, Erion Veliaj, leader of the G99 politacal movemend, told the section head that he belieted hir G99 party would pick up three parliae$nt seatsiN thE up coming election. G99 will berUhning aQ c!ePa(g. Qocused on "public safet [...] |
2008-12-05 15:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA867 |
OSCE PROGRESS REPORT ON PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION PREPARTIONS [...] (SBU) Summary: On December 5, the Deputy Minister of the Interior said the GOA was making satisfactory progress on registering addresses in the country (the first step toward issuing voter ID cards), although he admitted they are behind schedule. The Deputy Minister expressed confidence that a [...] |
2008-12-09 12:14:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA870 |
Embassy Tirana Weekly Report [...] (SBU) The legal defense team of Foreign Minister Basha (and former Minister of Transportation) appears determined this week to use any procedural trick possible to keep Basha from facing trial on crimes allegedly committed during the tendering process of the construction of the Durres-Kukes ro [...] |
2008-12-09 15:46:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ENRG EFIN PREL PHUM KJUS AL |
| 08TIRANA872 |
Country Team Assessment for The Regional Air [...] (U) The US Embassy, Tirana Country Team has reviewed EUCOM's 1206 proposal to include Albania's Regional Air Surveillance Coordination Center (RASCC) and supports this proposal. 2. (U) The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has agreed to participate in this project which will fulfill their partne [...] |
2008-12-10 11:46:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | MOPS PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA873 |
FM BASHA BATTLING PROSECUTORS, POLITICAL RIVALS [...] (C) SUMMARY: After a long and contentious investigation, prosecutors have forwarded the indictment of Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha to the Supreme Court, which will rule on Basha's guilt or innocence (ref a). To make matters worse for Basha, newspapers today printed lengthy excerpts from the [...] |
2008-12-12 07:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA875 |
ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN ASIA, AFRICA AND LATIN [...] (C) Summary: In a December 9 meeting with Nuri Domi, the Director of the Department for Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Domi told Poloff that the Chinese continually pester the GOA to not accept any more Uighurs from Guantanamo Bay, and said that the GOA will formally open an Embassy in India [...] |
2008-12-12 08:07:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA877 |
DEMARCHE ON UNITED NATIONS HARMONIZATION OF [...] On December 12, Poloff delivered reftel talking points and information to Saimir Repishti, Head of the UN Division at the MFA. Repishti agreed that recruiting and retaining qualified staff for the UN is a priority for the GOA, but did not say what the GOA position was on the U.S. or other prop [...] |
2008-12-12 13:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT AORC APER PREL UNGA AL |
| 08TIRANA878 |
RFG: ADDRESSING ALBANIAN DEFMIN CONCERNS OVER [...] (U) This is an action request. See Paragraph 9. 2. (C) Summary: During Defense Minister Oketa's Dec 5 visit to Washington, he expressed concern at the lack of progress at the demilitarization site of Polican and laid part of the blame on the US contractor. This concern was based on Oketa' [...] |
2008-12-12 13:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MASS PARM AL |
| 08TIRANA883 |
DRAFT LUSTRATION LAW - A POTENTIAL DISASTER FOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: After nearly 8 hours of debate in Parliament, including an opposition walkout and hour-long speech by the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament used a procedural motion to postpone a vote on the draft Lustration Law until next week, claiming that pending amendments made a d [...] |
2008-12-16 13:24:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS KDEM PGOV PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA884 |
ALBANIA'S 2009 (ELECTORAL) BUDGET [...] (SBU) PM Berisha declared that the 2009 budget, approved by Parliament on November 29, is an important instrument to finish his 2005 electoral promises, mainly the increase of salaries and pensions and the completion of several infrastructure projects. The opposition claims the budget is desig [...] |
2008-12-17 07:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA888 |
EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR OCTOBER [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- November 19: Prime Minister Sali Berisha issued a statement indicating that the Council of Ministers approved the list of military items and dual use goods and technologies subject to state control and tasked the State Export Cont [...] |
2008-12-18 10:22:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA892 |
ALBANIA'S INSURANCE PRIVATIZATION: DIRTY MONEY? [...] (C) Dallas-based American Reserve Life Insurance Company (ARL) on December 9 was awarded the tender for the GOA's 61 percent of Albanian insurance company INSIG for 25 million euro. The remaining 39 percent is owned by EBRD and IFC. The Ministry of Finance organized the tender, which to many [...] |
2008-12-19 15:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON KCRM PREL AL |
| 08TIRANA895 |
RE: THE WAY AHEAD ON ALBANIANS MUNITIONS [...] Summary. On December 16, Ambassador delivered talking points in reftel a to Minister of Defense Gazmend Oketa. In response, Oketa noted that he has agreed to provide a letter to either Secretary Rice or Assistant Secretary Kimmit reporting progress in Albania's demil efforts. Oketa reported [...] |
2008-12-22 06:25:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PGOV PREL NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA897 |
ALBANIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM [...] (SBU) In 2008 Albania pledged to increase its contribution of troops to Afghanistan, maintained frozen bank accounts related to money laundering and terrorism financing, and aggressively worked with the United States and other countries to combat terrorism. Albania made progress in identifying [...] |
2008-12-22 15:41:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER ASEC AL |
| 08TIRANA899 |
LUSTRATION LAW PASSES, BUT WHAT NEXT? [...] (C) SUMMARY: On December 22 Parliament passed the controversial Lustration Law by a vote of 74-2, with one abstention. Sixty four opposition MPs boycotted the session. The Lustration Law now moves to the President, who has 20 days to either sign the bill into law, send it back to Parliament [...] |
2008-12-23 14:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS KDEM PREL PGOV AL |
| 08TIRANA90 |
ALBANIA: RESHUFFLE IN PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE COMES UNDER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Prosecutor General (PG) Ina Rama carried out the first major reshuffling of her office since her appointment in November 2007. Fourteen prosecutors currently serving in the Prosecutor General's Office were removed and leadership of several District Prosecution Offices changed [...] |
2008-02-06 15:28:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCRM AL |
| 08TIRANA901 |
REVISED EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- November 19: Prime Minister Sali Berisha issued a statement indicating that the Council of Ministers approved the list of military items and dual use goods and technologies subject to state control and tasked the State Export Cont [...] |
2008-12-23 15:26:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 08TIRANA916 |
ALBANIA STRENGTHENS ARMO [...] (SBU) A ban on imports of D2 diesel fuel has given the recently-privatized petroleum refiner ARMO a monopoly over the market for cheap but dirty D2 diesel fuel, Albanians' diesel of choice. ARMO is Albania's only refiner, and has, by a decision of the Council of Ministers, until January 1, 201 [...] |
2008-12-29 12:05:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ETRD ENRG ECON AL |
| 08TIRANA919 |
Embassy Tirana Weekly Report [...] The visit of the Italian PM Berlusconi earlier this month attracted a lot of attention for good and for bad. During the short visit both Berlusconi and Prime Minister Berisha hailed the current bilateral relationship. They agreed on further intensifying economic ties, particularly energy and [...] |
2008-12-31 15:31:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ENRG EFIN PREL PHUM KJUS AL |
| 08TIRANA92 |
ALBANIA WELCOMES CODEL TANNER [...] (U) Embassy Tirana warmly welcomes the Tanner Congressional Delegation to Albania February 22, to assess Albania's readiness for NATO. Overview -------- 2. (U) Albania has made good progress on NATO- and EU-oriented reforms and is committed to continuing implementation. Albania is a valu [...] |
2008-02-07 06:19:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OREP OVIP NATO AL |
| 08TIRANA99 |
THIS WEEK IN ALBANIA, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2008 [...] (U) The following is a weekly report prepared by Embassy Tirana's local staff to provide political and economic context and insight into developments in Albania. These updates will supplement post's DAR reports and reporting cables. ---------------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ---------- [...] |
2008-02-08 18:13:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON PGOV PREL PHUM AL |
| 09TIRANA100 |
NINTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT SUBMISSION FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2009-02-13 16:17:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB PGOV |
| 09TIRANA104 |
Embassy Tirana Weekly Report [...] The Financial Crimes Task Force of the Tirana Prosecutor's Office has concluded the investigation of a major property related fraud case that involved the illicit transfer of land titles to a major Albanian builder. The list of those charged includes the Head of Property Restitution Commissio [...] |
2009-02-17 14:51:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ENRG EFIN PREL PHUM KCRM KCOR AL |
| 09TIRANA112 |
LIST OF INDICTED IN GERDEC SCANDAL GROWS TO 37 [...] (C) Prosecution has provided Post with the list of those it has indicted or is in the process of indicting in relation to the Gerdec tragedy (ref). Since some of the individuals on the list have not been notified yet, prosecution has asked we keep this list confidential. ARRESTED IN MARCH 2 [...] |
2009-02-18 15:53:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KCOR KCRM KJUS PGOV PARM ASEC |
| 09TIRANA113 |
REQUEST FOR DS AND DHS ASSISTANCE WITH ALBANIAN COMMANDO [...] SUMMARY. Albanian Commando soldiers returning from military service in Iraq have applied at U.S. Embassy Tirana for tourist visas to visit friends and family in the United States. Many of these soldiers have presented letters of invitation from former U.S. Government contractors and military [...] |
2009-02-19 06:42:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS SMIG KFRD ASEC AL |
| 09TIRANA114 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT EFFECTIVELY KILLS LUSTRATION [...] (C) SUMMARY: The February 16 decision by the Constitutional Court to suspend the Lustration Law pending a full review by the Court and then to refer it to the Venice Commission for review effectively kills the Law and ensures that it will almost certainly never be implemented as drafted and p [...] |
2009-02-19 12:22:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS KDEM PREL PGOV AL |
| 09TIRANA12 |
Resurrecting the Communist Bogeyman [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Berisha announced on January 7 a draft bill for the establishment of an anti-communism institute that would study the crimes of communism and educate the younger generation about the evils of that system. He also announced the erection of a massive obelisk in honor of the [...] |
2009-01-09 11:01:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PHUM PGOV PREL KJUS AL |
| 09TIRANA140 |
SECURITY ENVIRONMENT PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE - [...] (C) DEMONSTRATIONS A. Yes, there are four major religious groups that in theory, could carry out anti-American demonstrations. However, as Albania has a long history of inter-faith tolerance and almost all Albanians are pro-American, we judge the prospect to be remote. Some radical elements [...] |
2009-02-27 13:40:00 | Embassy Tirana | SECRET | ASEC PTER |
| 09TIRANA145 |
EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR JANUARY [...] (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- None known. 2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD See paragraphs 4 and 5 below discussing equipment and training. 3. (SBU) MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD -- January 13: Maritime Advisor met with Mr. Rustim [...] |
2009-03-04 10:48:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL |
| 09TIRANA146 |
DEMILITARIZATION: GRADUAL PROGRESS BUT REMAINING [...] (C) Summary. On February 26-27, PM/WRA Senior Advisor Mark Adams visited Tirana to review progress on Albania's demilitarization efforts and to meet with Defense Minister Oketa. There has been recent positive progress, although several issues remain. To date, the Defense Minister has not sig [...] |
2009-03-05 06:38:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PGOV MASS PREL AL |
| 09TIRANA149 |
Will the Real John Withers Please Stand Up? [...] SUMMARY: Embassy Tirana has receivd extremely positive feedback regarding Ambassador Withers' appearance on the high-viewership variety/comedy show "Portokalli" (Orange) on March 1. The Ambassador's appearance on this type of TV show is the latest example of the Mission's innovative PD program [...] |
2009-03-06 11:12:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO SCUL AL |
| 09TIRANA150 |
Will the Real John Withers Please Stand Up? [...] SUMMARY: Embassy Tirana has received extremely positive feedback regarding Ambassador Withers' appearance on the high-viewership variety/comedy show "Portokalli" (Orange) on March 1. The Ambassador's appearance on this type of TV show is the latest example of the Mission's innovative PD progra [...] |
2009-03-06 11:19:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO SCUL AL |
| 09TIRANA151 |
RULING PARTY SHOWS SACKED MINISTER NO MERCY [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Berisha on March 4 fired Minister of Culture, Youth, Sports and Tourism Ylli Pango less than one hour after a TV program broadcast video from a hidden camera showing Pango requesting sexual favors from a job applicant at Pango's Ministry. Pango's sacking marked a quick a [...] |
2009-03-06 12:50:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS KDEM PREL PGOV AL |
| 09TIRANA153 |
ALBANIA: FINANCIAL CRISIS REACHES ALBANIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The global financial crisis is finally starting to affect Albania. Albanians have been withdrawing their deposits from banks, affecting banks' ability to buy domestic treasury bonds to help finance the deficit. The Ministry of Finance has gone to commercial banks seeking 300 m [...] |
2009-03-06 14:10:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PGOV AL |
| 09TIRANA159 |
IS ALBANIA'S ID CARD SYSTEM ON TRACK? [...] (SBU) With just over one hundred days to go until the June 28 parliamentary elections, attention is focused on the issuance of new Qards. Changes in the electoral code require voters to possess either a new ID card or a valid passport in order to vote. As of now, some 750,000 voters have no v [...] |
2009-03-11 12:32:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 09TIRANA16 |
ALBANIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE RUSSIAN GAS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Albania is somewhat insulated from the immediate effects of the Russian-Ukrainian gas spat since Albania imports no natural gas. However, rising fuel and energy costs in the region, primarily for electricity, could create problems for an economy largely untouched by the global [...] |
2009-01-12 11:55:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EPET ENRG ECON PGOV AL |
| 09TIRANA160 |
SOCIALIST PARTY TO CALL FOR POSTPONEMENT OF [...] (C) Summary: As the June 28 Parliamentary elections approach, early polling gives the opposition Socialist Party (SP) a slight lead over the ruling Democratic Party. Nevertheless, the SP has serious concerns about the GOA's ability to issue voter ID cards to the voters who require them. Citi [...] |
2009-03-12 08:08:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM AL |
| 09TIRANA162 |
RE: ENGAGING ALLIES AND PARTNERS ON AFGHANISTAN [...] Post delivered reftel on March 4 to MFA Director of the Americas Department Ilir Melo. Melo confirmed Albania's support for the August 20 date of Afghan elections. He also confirmed that Albania will send a company (around 125 additional troops) to Afghanistan later in the year, as Berisha s [...] |
2009-03-12 14:16:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | NATO PREL MOPS MARR AL |
| 09TIRANA164 |
THE KINGMAKER FOR THE JUNE ELECTIONS? [...] (C) Summary: As the June Parliamentary elections approach, the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) clearly sees itself as the kingmaker in an election where neither of the two leading parties appear likely to win an outright victory. LSI hopes to win 15 seats and expects the SP and DP t [...] |
2009-03-13 13:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM AL |
| 09TIRANA168 |
Tirana Weekly Report - The Rise and Fall of a Sexual [...] As the last sexual scandal involving the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports Ylli Pango was blasted all over Albanian newspapers in the past week, one can't help but wonder about the ethics of Albanian politics. Of course, "it is not new in any way, shape, or form", people say - r [...] |
2009-03-17 09:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL KCRM AL |
| 09TIRANA17 |
GOA ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE CRITICAL NEWSPAPER [...] (SBU) Summary: In the latest move to muzzle critical voices, police forces have surrounded the offices of the small daily paper Tema and have prevented Tema's staff from entering the premises for the past four days, despite a Tirana court's January 6 ruling that Tema may remain in its offices. [...] |
2009-01-13 06:42:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL AL |
| 09TIRANA172 |
ALBANIA ON THE EVE OF NATO ACCESSION [...] (C) Summary: Albania will reach the April 3-4 Strasbourg summit less with a purposeful stride than with a pronounced limp. Widespread economic and political reforms that marked 2007 slowed to a crawl after Albania received its NATO invitation in April 2008. The GOA at the highest levels is [...] |
2009-03-18 15:41:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM AL |
| 09TIRANA179 |
WELCOME TO ALBANIA [...] WELCOME Congratulations on your assignment to Tirana, Albania. The American Embassy community of Tirana welcomes you in advance and looks forward to your arrival. We are confident that you will find Tirana and the Embassy a rewarding place to live and work. To help us keep in touch with yo [...] |
2009-03-24 08:54:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | APER AFIN AL |
| 09TIRANA18 |
PRESIDENT TOPI LEANING AGAINST VETO OF LUSTRATION [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a January 12 meeting with Charge d'Affaires, President Topi signaled clearly that he will not veto the Lustration Law. Instead, he told Charge that he will almost certainly sit on the bill until the twenty-day review period expires on January 14, thereby passively allowin [...] |
2009-01-13 12:45:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS KDEM PREL PGOV PHUM AL |
| 09TIRANA180 |
GITMO DETAINEES IN ALBANIA POSE LIMITED THREAT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The resettlement of Guantanamo detainees in Albania has proven to be a success, even though significant challenges remain. Nearly three years after their arrival in Albania, seven former detainees remain in Albania, with one having received asylum in Sweden. Of the seven, all ha [...] |
2009-03-24 12:06:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PREF PTER PHUM KAWK KISL KPAO AL |
| 09TIRANA184 |
ALBANIAN ISLAMIC COMMUNITY ELECTIONS RIGGED? [...] (C) Summary: On March 18, Selim Muca, Chairman of the Albanian Islamic Community (AIC), announced the AIC would hold elections for the Chairman, and three days later Muca was elected unopposed to another five-year term. However, on March 24, in response to a March 20 lawsuit filed by some AIC [...] |
2009-03-25 13:32:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KIRF PREL AL |
| 09TIRANA185 |
ALBANIA: BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME? [...] (C) As predicted reftel, the global financial crisis is having a growing effect on Albania. The GOA, unable to finance its 2009 budget deficit by selling domestic bonds or organizing a Eurobond issue, was forced in January to seek 250 million euro through commercial financing. (Note: Since [...] |
2009-03-25 13:40:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV AL |
| 09TIRANA189 |
ALBANIA COMPLETES NATO RATIFICATION [...] On March 26, The Albanian Parliament unanimously approved Albania's NATO Accession Protocol. Minutes after the Parliamentary session, Albanian President Topi signed the protocols into law, in what the media noted was "record time" for a law in Albania. Director of the Albanian MFA's America [...] |
2009-03-27 14:39:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV NATO AL |
| 09TIRANA197 |
GERDEC TRIAL DATE SET; BERISHA AND MEDIU FORM [...] (C) Summary. On March 25, the Albanian Supreme Court announced that the trial against former Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu will begin May 4. The day before, Mediu filed his own charges against Prosecutor General Ina Rama and lead investigator in the Gerdec case Sokol Stojani. Prime Minister [...] |
2009-04-01 13:36:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PARM KCOR KJUS KDEM AL |
| 09TIRANA2 |
ALBANIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, SIX MONTHS OUT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The passage of the Electoral Code on December 29 cleared the last major legislative hurdle necessary for the 2009 parliamentary elections, which will take place at the end of June. With the Electoral Code out of the way, attention will increasingly focus on the election campaign [...] |
2009-01-05 10:49:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PREL AL |
| 09TIRANA205 |
GOA WELCOMES MORE U.S. PARTICIPATION IN UNHRC [...] No summary [...] |
2009-04-02 13:14:00 | Embassy Tirana | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV AL |
| 09TIRANA207 |
INVESTOR IN ID CARD BUSINESS GIVES HIS TAKE [...] (C) In a March 27 meeting with Ambassador, the Amcit President and CEO of the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF), which has a 25 per cent stake the French company Sagem's concession to produce the voter ID cards, went to great lengths to explain that the AAEF is not at fault for delays i [...] |
2009-04-03 13:33:00 | Embassy Tirana | CONFIDENTIAL | |