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Underreported: Albania

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Albania is fledgling democracy with a tumultuous political climate and a controversial prime minister. It’s also a strategic ally of the United States, yet we rarely hear about it in the American media. Erion Veliaj is a recipient of the United Nations Civil Society Award and was director of Albania’s leading watchdog group, MJAFT , from 2003 to 2007.


Comments

  • [1] genc hasi from nyc May 01, 2008 - 01:51PM

    there is no data to support mr. Velijas Muslim population (50%). Last poll taken shows that Albanian population is 73%. Actually Albanian Muslims are moderate and that is the reason why we are pro USA and not because is not Muslim enough


  • [2] tom nikaj from nyc May 01, 2008 - 02:06PM

    Berisha is not a friend of the media, however, it is a blatant lie to say that he called his dissenters "Jews" and "faggots"!!

    Furthermore, the "Jew" has no negative connotation in Albania, for we had only a handful of Jews living in Albania! It's like calling somebody in America an Argentine,or an Maltese!!!!

    You should check your facts a tad better when it comes to wee countries like Albania, there at WNYC!


  • [3] Olsi from Italy May 02, 2008 - 05:34AM

    Dear broadcaster!

    I find extremely unbelievable that you have called in your radio a Christian missionary like Erion Velija who wrongly claims that Albanians are 50% Muslims.

    This promotion of missionary puppets that you do is really immoral. Immoral!

    Olsi


  • [4] Artan from Albania May 02, 2008 - 06:09AM

    Mr L Lopate, If you want to show to the americans the % of the moslems or other religions you should discuss it with the clerics not with the evangelist missionaries and their recruts like E Veliaj.

    E Veliaj has no supports from the vast population. We the people of albania live in Peace and harmony but there are certain stereotypes like you host in this program who meddles and segregates it.

    Thank God we are moslems as majority, that is why we have Peace. In God we Trust, and He, the Almighty has our Faith. We are moslems 95% all over our ethnic lands.


  • [5] Altin from FI May 02, 2008 - 10:44AM

    Dear broadcaster,

    The claims of Mr. velija are really unbelieveable. He claims that the Albanian oppossition accusses him and Edi Rama's gang as being jews? This is crazy. Unbelievable!

    I challenge Mr. Velija to prove this. but he is lying. Yes, in the Albanian Yellow Press there are some people who accusse Soros for standing behind puppets like Mr. Velija and Edi Rama, and pump them with Soros money. But these people are not the Albanian position. On the contrary Mr. berisha is trying to close down the SOT newspaper because they attack Berisha as well.

    Mr. Velija who is in the US for taking money should not lie this much. Simply he becomes funny and unbelieveable. These lies he can produce if he goes in the fondamentalist Stephan Center in Tirana where he preaches the Holy Ghost but not to serious politicians.

    I think that the Jewish groups of America should take note of Velija's lies and distance themselves from this little liar.


  • [6] Ilirjan from US May 06, 2008 - 02:32PM

    It is striking the fact that the interviewer tries to get informed about albanian history and politics from an ambicious puppet like Veliaj. He was just a little kid when Albania changed regime from dictatorship to democracy. His family was traditionally connected with, and loyal to, the old communist regime and his political activity against Berisha is ignited by family discontent toward Berisha government. As a matter of fact, Berisha was not the doctor of Politbyro (even this term is not original), he has never been. This is an old and untrue argument used by his political adversaries. Also, the statement that he tried to opress the student movement for democracy, it is nothing but a true lie. I was one of those students, and at that time Veliaj was watching Nils Holgersonin in TV. It is a just ridiculous to refer him as a liable source of information about what happened during those times. He and his commrades would try to throw mud on and downgrade the movement for democracy in Albania. It is his mission. It is Albania's unfortune to still generate pseudo-leaders that more than anything are hypocrites and able to hide their agenda and character.

    The thing that bothers me most is that you guys take Veliaj very seriously, when most of what he says are lies and propaganda. He inclines to the left and his old (Mjaft) and new organization (G99) are sponsored by George Soros. This probably is OK with you guys, but still, it is far of jorunalism fairness.


  • [7] Ilirjan from US May 06, 2008 - 02:54PM

    Some questions from interviewer just show how detorated and how affected by Veliaj's opinion are their views about albania politics and journalism. Even Veliaj can not believe the interviewer's naivity! The first one was the question about their adversaries calling Veliaj and Edi Rama, jews and fagots. Veliaj is even frightened from the lies he has said and tries to make some damage control.

    Secondly, You asked Veliaj whether the history of implications of prime minister being involved in weapons trafficking. That is hilarious! Not only the story was covered by media in Albania, but the implication of prime minister family was a joke. Even the report in NYTimes, if you ever read that article, just refers to the source, who himself explained in Albania media that the allegations were his fantasy!

    Veliaj is one of the worse things that might happen to Albania in the future. Please, don't be so ignorant when you report, it is translated to lasting suffering of million of alabanian people, unfortunely. Don't promote such puppets.


  • [8] Dritan from NYC May 06, 2008 - 05:30PM

    I would have liked to say that Mr. Velija is just an idiot with an opinion, but that would be far from the truth. Mr. Velija iis much more than that. While i am by no means a supporter of Mr. Berisha and see him as one of the main problems in Albania, I still detest some of the the positions and statements that Mr. Velija has made about the % of the muslim population in Albania, the statement that Albania is not muslim enough and the claims about Berisha's position during the democratic movement of 1990-1991. The statement that Berisha is calling people like Mr. Veliaj "jews" and "faggots" is also ridiculous. While "jew" was never a derogatory word in Albania, "faggot" still is, but the times have long gone, when that word was used in the context that Mr. Velija is putting it.

    What made me write this comment is that while Albania needs change, Mr. Velija is not part of the solution, but part of the problem. He is part of the people who continue to lie, twist and misrepresent the facts and is damaging the true image of Albania.

    The fact that all the comment here are one sided, must show something to the broadcaster, producer or whomever prepared this interview and picked Mr. Velija as a representative of "the truth about Albania today"


  • [9] Edd May 06, 2008 - 08:46PM

    There is no such sayings from Mr Berisha (albanian pm) that Mr Veliaj and opposition leader Edi Rama are jews and faggots. This is a big and dirty lie. Shame!

    Before he talks about albanian politics, he must show how he and his crew spend the vast amount of money which was given to him and his so-called youth organization from foreign donators including George Soros.


  • [10] fabian from new jersey May 07, 2008 - 02:16PM

    Listening to Veliaj it's e given that he comes from the school of George Soros.It's so typical of these kind of people to lie whithout having any regrets just to achieve what he whants.THE END JUSTIFY THE MEANS- it's the moto.

    The problem of albania it's people like Veliaj, people without a backbone or any patriotism on them.People that will sell their country for their personal gain.They always play the tune of somebody else.Like his partner Rama that has sad the day that Albania joined NATO.


  • [11] kastro from usa June 06, 2008 - 01:37PM

    This is a very interesting interview, and it's necessary for young people like Veliaj to standup and have their voice heard and demand CHANGE, we need an Obama-like movement in Albania and get rid of all the corrupt old-era politicians. the most important thing is that common citizens have to start taking action and asking for real results from the leadership and if that doesn't happen, we need to vote them out.

    the 50% Muslim population is not a very inaccurate number, since a lot of Muslim albanians don't know their religion at all, and many of them have abandoned Islam. I personally think Islam is the best thing that happened to Albania...


  • [12] Lira from all over the world July 13, 2008 - 01:53PM

    Mr Veliaj is right. Maybe we are less than 50% muslims. We don't know much about Muslim faith. Most of the Albanian population was born without religion and if we decide to choose one we will choose the Christianity. The one that we belonged for many centries.

    Is Gjerg Kastriot Skenderbeu our hero? Yes he is. He fought for our identity and our faith-Christianity. Let's keep is dream alive.


  • [13] jamarber December 23, 2008 - 10:10PM

    Mr. Veliaj and other former Soros Foundation soldiers are the new recruits of Soros and are fully funded from him to gain control of Albanian government. Same situation as in Georgia, Serbia and Montenegro.

    Veliaj, Edi and Olsi Rama, Valdete Sala, Valentina Leskaj and other so-called Civil Society Representatives who have become the new "rich" in Albania thanks to the "aid" they "managed" so well in the past, are now trying to break the ceiling in the Albanian politics.

    All the above have been and still are under direct payroll of the Soros Fund and his Foundation in Tirana.

    It's unbelivable that Sali Berisha and Democratic Party has failed so far in enforcing state oversight of these civil society funds and their dealings around albania.

    As of today G99 and MJAFT has yet to provide full accountable financial reporting and how they fund their activities.


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