Wednesday, April 21, 2010

ALBANIAN-AMERICAN DELEGATION MEETS WITH STATE DEPARTMENT


ALBANIAN-AMERICAN DELEGATION MEETS WITH STATE DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS THE MUNICIPALITY OF MALËSIA IN MONTENEGRO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 16, 2010 - A delegation representing the Council for the Formation of the Municipality of Malёsia–Tuz officially met with the U.S. State Department today and presented a Feasibility Report validating the favorable socio-economic and political conditions for the formation of a Malёsia Municipality. The delegation was led by the chairman of the Council, and president of the Albanian-American Association “Malёsia e Madhe,” Gjergj Ivezaj. The team of legal, political and economic experts included the president of Homeland Unites Us and international law expert, Dr. Palokё Camaj; human rights advocate and attorney Sabri Gjoni; international relations scholar and former political advisor to Kosova’s Prime Minister, Viktor Ula; Professor of Political Science and Executive Director for the Commission for Human Rights and National Minorities, Viktor N. Ivezaj; and from Malёsia, Human Rights Legal Researcher for the Commission for Human Rights and National Minorities and expert on European legal doctrine, Dr. Angjell Gojcaj.

The delegation met with Deputy Director John R. Buzbee from the Office of South Central European Affairs and discussed the continued systematic discrimination plaguing Albanians in the Malёsia region of Montenegro. The delegation presented Deputy Director Buzbee with a statistically valid study that was carried out in 2009 illustrating the deterioration of the Malёsia region in all realms of social, political, and economic junctures primarily the result of Montenegro’s refusal to form a local government in the Malёsia region to remedy the ongoing crisis. Professor Ivezaj provided a lucid introduction that included a chronological order of repeated attempts by Malёsia’s political representatives to re-institute a Municipality that was callously revoked in 1957. Dr. Camaj reminded the State Department that the continued alienation of Albanians from the political process threatened to uproot Montenegro’s accession to Euro-Atlantic institutions given that international law affecting ethnic minorities is being blatantly ignored. Mr. Ula followed the assessment by elaborating on the current economic crisis conceived after the creation of the puppet urban Municipality, which included a compelling argument that Malёsia is financially more secure and capable of self-sufficiency than at least seven other municipalities. This conclusion challenged Montenegro’s assertion that establishing a Malёsia Municipality was premature at this time.

The delegation was accompanied by senior congressional staff member Jeremy Steslicki, who presented Mr. Buzbee with a letter signed by three congressional representatives supporting the delegation’s petition. Senator Carl Levin and congressmen Sander Levin and Gary Peters joined together and firmly requested that the State Department “ensure the equitable treatment of Albanians in Montenegro,” while at the same time expressing support in “granting a full municipality status of the Tuzi district of Podgorica,” which would alleviate the continuing problems associated with “the rights of Albanians who are subject to discrimination in their native lands” and serious underrepresentation in their public and private lives.

http://www.scribd.com/full/30550781?access_key=key-2lbmyrtkc05y9er671sl

After the meeting, Dr. Camaj commented, “We were pleased to learn that the U.S. State Department is deeply concerned with resolving the status of the Municipality of Malёsia and the need for Montenegro to comply with the rule of law and international human rights.”

The delegation also met with the Ambassador of Montenegro to the U.S., Miodrag Vlahović, to whom they also presented with the 2009 Feasibility Report and accompanying documents to be forwarded to Podgorica. Mr. Vlahović was the author of an April 1993 feasibility report of his own, in which he concluded that the abolishment of the Malёsia Municipality in 1957 set in motion the negative political and socio-economic consequences beleaguering the region today.

Although it was promising to hear that the Ambassador continues to stand by his own conclusions of 1993, it was at the same time discouraging to learn that the “official position” of the Government of Montenegro remains unchanged – that a time-line for the realization of a full Malёsia Municipality has not been determined. Moreover, the ambassador provided no time-line for recognizing the municipality, and when he was pressed to do so, he refused to provide any details or status report on its fulfillment. On separate occasions during the meeting, the delegation voiced its objections on several points the ambassador falsely assumed to be fact. His comments that the municipality petition has turned into an attempt to radicalize the process was challenged by members of the delegation who questioned whether Montenegro was holding back municipal recognition based on the recent fervor stemming from the Diaspora and their voluble demands for equal representation. In the same vein, Vlahović carelessly asserted that “ethnicity” should not be a subject of contention in future dialogue between Albanians and Montenegrins, maintaining that cultural differences should be diminished as much as possible and not stand in the way of Montenegro’s progress. Professor Ivezaj and Mr. Ula warned that ignoring cultural differences and other characteristics between Albanians and the Slav majority ushers in a dangerous precedence that could lead to assimilation, a volatile policy advanced by Podgorica and discussed earlier that day with the State Department. The delegation reminded Vlahović that they will continue to petition the U.S government and other international institutions responsible for monitoring Montenegro’s progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration, which, according to Mr. Gjoni, includes a wider investigation into the government-led corruption surrounding the coastal municipality of Ulqin.

The delegation later met with the ambassadors from Albania and Kosova, where they informed them of the legal and economic basis for the restoration of the Municipality of Malёsia. Both embassies expressed their concern over the treatment of the Albanians living in Malёsia and vowed to study the feasibility report and provide constructive feedback in a timely fashion. The Albanian Ambassador also suggested numerous institutions and political figures willing to aid Malёsia’s petition for municipal recognition. He ensured the delegation that Tirana would be forwarded all correspondences related to these objectives.

At the conclusion of the day’s events, Dr. Gojcaj expressed his deep appreciation for the continued interest of the Diaspora in supporting Malёsia’s legitimate requests and remarked, “We need the Albanian-American Diaspora to continue to support our cause for the survival of their brethren in Malёsia.” He also expressed deep gratitude to Members of Congress for their unyielding support and invited them to visit Malёsia and witness the inequalities first hand.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! Its refreshing to hear that such a qualified team is petitioning for the Albanians in Montenegro.

This is long overdue!!!!!

nga Ulqin

Anonymous said...

How true. Let us only hope that our counterparts in Malesia are as aggressive as their Diaspora!

Anonymous said...

Ashte knaqesi kur keta lloj njerzish me kete perkushtim merren me problemet e Malesise. Nevoja tjeter me shume rendesi eshte qe ne teren, pra ne Malesi njerzit qe merren me keto pune te jene shume me te perkushtuar, qe ceshtja kombetare te jete para asaj personale.

Anonymous said...

Those crooked politicians in Malesia (yes, the Albanians) should def take a page from what ya'll are doing and duplicate such efforts.

If Malesia showed the same back bone, and put aside their fears, they not only would have had a municipality by now, but we would be talking about regionalization by now.

It's sad how much time has been lost.

Anonymous said...

I wish I was a fly on the wall at the Montenegrin embassy, just to watch Miodrag squirm in his seat when faced with so many poignant Albanians ready to shake him at his every word.

Cheers!!!

Anonymous said...

If the idiot Albanian politicians in Malesia don't do something about their ill fate, all these efforts in the Diaspora will be a waste of time.

I mean look at it from a wester perspective -- if you are oppressed and do not have a share of equal rights as argued by the Diaspora last week, then why don't you join forces and campaign on a single ticket, join into a coalition (united party) and run the table?

You can exclude Ferhat Dinosha from this equation because he is a converted Slav disguised under an Albanian name.

Anonymous said...

Delegacioni Shqiptaro-Amerika takohet me departamentin a shtetit per te diskutuar Komumunen e Malesise ne Mal te Zi

WASHINGTON, D.C., 16 Prill 2010 – Nje delegacion qe perfaqeson Keshillin per formimin e Komunes te Malesise-Tuz u takua sot zyrtarisht me Departamentin e Shtetit Amerikan dhe paraqiti raportin e mundshem ku jane vleresuar konditat a favorshme socialo-ekonomike dhe politike per te krijuar Komunen e Malesise. Delegacioni ishte i kryesuar nga kryetari i Keshillit dhe presidenti i Shoqates Shqiptaro-Amerikane “Malesia e Madhe”, Gjergj Ivezaj. Grupi i eksperteve juridike, politike, dhe ekonomike perbehej nga presidenti i “Levizjes Atedheu na Bashko” dhe eksperti per ligjet nderkombetare, Doktor Paloke Camaj, perkrahesi i te drejtave te njeriut dhe avokat Sabri Gjoni, intelektuali per maredheniet nderkombetare dhe ish keshilltari politiki i Kryeministrit te Kosoves Viktor Ula, Profesori i Shkencave Politike dhe Drejtori Ekzekutiv per Komisionin per te Drejtat e Njeriut dhe Pakicave Kombetare Viktor N. Ivezaj, dhe nga Malisia, Studiusi i te Drejtave Ligjore te Njeriut per Komisionin e te Drejtave te Njeriut dhe Pakicave Kombetare dhe ekspert ne Doktrinen Ligjore Europiane, Doktor Angjell Gojcaj.

Deligacioni u takua me Zevendes Drejtorin e Zyres se Maredhenieve per Europes Jugore Qendrore Zotin John R. Buzbee dhe diskutuan diskriminimin e vazhdueshem dhe sistematik qe ka shqetesuar Shqiptaret ne Malesi, krahine e Malit te Zi. Delegacioni i paraqiti Zevendes Drejtorit Buzbee nje studim te agrumetuar e statistikor te ndermare ne vitin 2009 duke ilustruar keqesimin e krahines se Malesise ne te gjitha sferat e rrethanave shoqerore, politike dhe ekonomike si rezultat i refuzimit te Malit te Zi per te formuar nje qeveri lokale ne krahinen e Malesise per te rregulluar kete krize te vazhdueshme.Profesori Ivezaj beri nje hyrje te qarte ku perblidhte ne menyre kronologjike perpjekjet e vazhdueshme te perfaqesuesve te Malesise per te rikrijuar nje Komune qe u cvuqizua ne menyre te padrejte ne vitin 1957. Dr. Camaj i rikujtoi Departamemtit te Shtetit se largimi i vazhdueshem i Shqiptareve nga procesi politik kercenon pranimin e Malit te Zi ne institucionet Euro-Atlantike duke pare se ligji nderkombetar qe ndikon mbi pakicat etnike eshte injoruar fare. Zoti Ula e vazhdoi vleresimin duke shtjelluar me hollesi krizen ekonomike te vazhdueshme te krijuar pas krijimit te Komunes Urbane kukull, qe permblidhte nje argument te pa bazuar se Malesia eshte me e sigurt financiarisht dhe ka shume mundesi te vet mjaftueshme ne krahasim me te pakten shtate Komuna te tjera. Ky konkluzion ndryshoi qendrimin e Malit te Zi se krijimi i Bashkise se Malesise ishte i parakohshem ne ate kohe.

Delegacioni ishte i shoqeruar nga anetari i personelit te larte kongrsist Jeremy Steslicki, i cili i paraqiti Zotit Buzbe nje leter te firmosur nga tre perfaqesues te kongresit qe mbeshtesit peticionin e delegacionit. Senatori Karl Levin dhe kongresistet Sander Levin dhe Gary Peters u bashkuan bashke dhe ne menyre te prere kerkuan qe Depatementi i Shtetit “te siguroje trajtim te barabarte te Shqiptareve ne Mal te Zi” dhe ne te njejten kohe shprehen mbeshtetjen e tyre per “pranimin e statusit te nje Komunee te plote ne qarkun Tuz te Podgorices” qe do te zbute problemet e vazhdueshme qe jane te lidhura me “te drejtat e shqiptareve qe jane objekt diskriminimi ne token e tyre amtare” dhe mosperfaqesimin serioz ne jeten publike dhe private.

Pas takimit, Doktor Camaj komentoi, “ Ne jemi te kenaqur te mesojme se Departamenti i Shtetit Amerikan eshte i shqetesuar thellesisht per te zgjidhur statusin e Komunes te Malesise dhe nevojen qe Mali i Zi ka te veproje ne perputhje me rregullin e ligjit dhe te drejtat nderkombetare te njeriut.

Anonymous said...

Delegacioni u takua me ambasadorin e Malit te Zi ne Stetet e Bashkuara te Amerikes Miodrag Vlahovic, te cilit gjithashtu iu paraqit Raporti i statistikor i 2009s dhe dokumentat shoqeruese per tu dorezuar ne Podgorice. Zoti Vlahovic ishte autori i nje raporti statistikor te Prillit 1993, ne te cilin ai konkludoi se anullimi i Bashkise se Malesise ne vitin 1957 ndikoi ne pasojat negative politike dhe social-ekonomike qe kane perfshire krahinen sot.

Edhe pse ishte premtuese te degjoje se Ambasadori vazhdonte te mbeshteste konkluzionet e tij te vitit 1993, ne te njejten kohe ishte dekurajuese te mesoje se “qendrimi zyrtar” i qeverise se Malit te Zi ishte i pandryshuar- se nje afat per realizimin e nje Komune te plote te Malesise nuk eshte caktuar akoma. Mbi te gjitha, ambasadori nuk dha ndonje afat per te njohur Komunen, dhe kur ai u detyrua per te dhene afat, ai refuzoi te jepte hollesira ose nje raport mbi gjendnjen se kur kjo do te realizohej. Komentet e tij se peticioni per Komunen ishte kthyer ne nje perpjekje per te ndryshuar rrenjesisht procesin, u kundeshtuan nga anetaret e delegacionit te cilet bene pyetjen nese Mali i Zi e ndalon njohjen e Komunes bazuar ne protestat e koheve te fundit te ndermara nga diaspora dhe kerkesat e tyre te vazhdueshme per perfaqesim te barabarte. Ne te njejten kohe, Vlahovic pohoi pa kujdes se “etnisiteti” nuk duhet te jete objekt ngrindjeje ne dialogun e ardhshem midis shqiptareve dhe malazezeve, duke pohuar se ndryshimet kulturore duhet te shuhen sa me shume te jete e mundur dhe te mos pengojne zhvillimin e Malit te Zi. Profesori Ivezaj dhe Zoti Ula paralajmeruan se injorimi i ndryshimeve kulturore dhe i karakteristikave te tjera midis shqiptareve dhe shumices sllave shpallet me nje perparesi te rezikshme qe mund te sjelle asimilim, nje politike e paqendrueshme e paraqitur nga Podgorica dhe e diskutuar me pare po ate dite me Departamentin e Shtetit. Delegacioni i rikujtoi Vllahovicit se ata do te vazhdojne ti kerkojne qeverise amerikane dhe institucioneve te tjera nderkombetare qe kane pergjegjesi per te pare perparimin e Malit te Zi ne lidhje me intergrimin Euro-Atlantik, i cili sipas Zotit Gjoni, perfshin nje shqyrtim te gjere per korrupsionin e udhehequr nga qeveria qe ka perfshire Komunen bregdetare te Ulqinit.

Delegacioni me vone u takua me ambasadoret nga Shqiperia dhe Kosova, ku i informuan ata per bazat ligjore dhe ekonomike per perteritjen e Bashkise se Malesise. Te dyja ambasadat shprehen shqetesimet e tyre mbi trajtimin e shqiptareve qe jetojne ne Mal te Zi dhe u angazhuan se do te studijojne raportin dhe do te japin pergjigje konstruktive dhe ne kohen e duhur. Ambasadori shqiptar gjithashtu sugjeroi disa institucione dhe figura politike qe deshirojne te ndihmojne peticionin e Malesise per njohje te Komunes. Ai i siguroi deligacionit se Tiranes duhet ti dergohen gjithe korespondencat lidhur me keto objektiva.

Ne konkluzion te ngjarjeve te dites, Doktor Gojcaj shprehu vleresimin e thelle per interesin e vazhdueshem te Diaspores per mbeshtetjen e kerkesave te drejta te Malesise dhe vuri ne dukje se, “ Ne kemi nevoje qe Diaspora Shqiptaro-Amerikane te vazhdoje te mbeshtese ceshtjen tone per mbijetesen e vellezerve te tyre ne Malesi.” Ai gjithashtu shprehu mirenjohje te thelle per anetaret e Kongresit per mbeshtetjen e pandalshme dhe i ftoi ata te vizitonin Malesine dhe te shikonin padrejtesite qe ndodhin atje.

Anonymous said...

I am astounded at all the energy for a little ol'd municipality.

Although I do admire these efforts, I wonder if we are missing the bigger picture...

There is an identity crisis in Malesia/Montenegro ... where Albanians are very sympathetic to Monteengro and her politicians.

Dinosha joined the DPS and Bosniak party!

Why?!?!?

Why does he not form a coalition with the Albanian parties in Malesia and Ulqin?

Who's interests are represented here?

The biggest problem in Montenegro (for teh Albanians) is not Mont., but it is the Albanians destroying one another.

~ Pepa

Anonymous said...

in 10 years, Malesia as we know it will be no more.

It will be ruled by Muslim Bosniaks and Albanians who call themselves Muslims and identify with trhe Bosniaks.

Catholics will be wiped out (via emigration).

Kryengritja e Malesise will be recited by Bosniaks in the future ... i.e., "Kryengritja e Bosnjakeve"

! pepa

Anonymous said...

Mënyra e vetme për të ruajtur identitetin e juaj (Malesore) do të jetë për të zhdukur Muslimante!

Të luftojmë për të drejtën tuaj për të ekzistojnë

Anonymous said...

This is the HIT LIST:

1. Ferhat Dinosha

2. Fran Lulgjuraj

3. Nikolle Gegaj

4. Rrok Gjolaj

5. Musa Pepic

6. Sulejman Axhiabllahovic

Albanians in Malesia must KILL these individuals !!!

Anonymous said...

Can you spell ...

R.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. ??

Anonymous said...

Can you spell ...

R.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. ??

Anonymous said...

wow..cant understand this: Albanian political parties form coalition with Montenegrin political parties!? I wonder how much money did Dinoaha receive?

Anonymous said...

Enough with the extremist rhetoric already. Post something intellectual that has substance.

This is my first post on this site, and I am really proud of the initiative taken by the Diaspora.

Even Montenegro's most read newspaper, Vijesti, had a spread today about this (freemalesia) website and the meeting in Washington.

Keep it up!

~ John

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have a copy of the congressional letter, from Peters and the Levins?

Anonymous said...

There is one floating around on the net, a friend of mine sent me the link, I will try to find it.

Can the webmaster here paste the link?

Hello?

Anonymous said...

Mr. "Hit List" you are hilarious. You cut one head and two appear in its place, did you not learn that in Balkans 101?

Why don't you recommend Albanians do something novel ... vote and get involved in the political process to make a change.

You play too many violent video games on X-BOX and its fogging your mind.

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Eshte nje deshprim I madhe kur ne ketu ne Malesi shofim se duan personat sich eshte Andjelku Gojcevic, I cili gjithku ne Podgorice keshtu prezentohej me kenaqesi, dhe me vendbanim ne Podgorice e jo ne Malesi, mundohet te luftoj per drejtat e shqiptareve ne Mal te Zi. Mendoj se ky ekip, bashk me Viktor Ulaj, fjala eshte per Andjelkun dhe Viktorin, nuk do te kete perspektiv me planprogramin e tyre, se keta persona bajn nje veper te tille vetem per interrse personale... Per me gjere info, do te jemi ne kontakt. Nderi dhe rrespekti te dashur vllazer shqiptar, ju lutem te perdoreni mendjen dhe trurin!