G.Tiess / M.Allaraj (University of Leoben, Austria)

Relevance of aggregates

In times of increasing globalization aggregates also provide the basis for economic efficiency, development and growth. More than 3 billion tonnes of sand, gravel and crushed stone with a value more than 35 billions € are annually produced in Europe to meet the demands of construction industry. Construction sector is predicted to grow in the Member States, especially in new EU-members (4, 2 % per year).

Primary aggregates can only be extracted where they occur, and quarrying has environmental and social impacts, including inefficient usage of water and energy, air pollution and community disruption. These have given the industry a negative image that is intensified by illegal quarrying, limited recycling of construction and demolition wastes, and minimal use of quarry and industrial by-products. Fulfilling demands require an eco-efficient and sustainable supply chain (planning, extraction, transport, use and recycling), and socio-eco friendly quarrying, to preclude opposition to extraction and restricted growth. The discrepancy in the aggregates management practices and policies among old and new EU member states and candidate countries is large.

Need for research to address these issues at EU-level

A group of experts from South East Europe (SEE) decided to explore sustainable aggregate management and supply issues in the framework of the South East European (SEE) Transnational Programme 2007 – 2013 of the European Union. Project proposal entitled “SUSTAINABLE AGGREGATES REOSURCE MANAGEMENT (SARMa) preparation started in spring 2008, submitted in summer 2008 and was approved (from over 800 proposals SARMa was ranked as 15^th) in spring 2009. Project SARMa started in May 2009 and will end in October 2011. Partners (authorities, universities, geological survey etc.) included in this project are EU members (Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Romania) and non-EU members (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia,). Project budget is approximately 1,9 Mio. €.

SARMa objectives and challenges

The main objective is development of a common approach to sustainable aggregate resource management (SARM) and sustainable supply mix (SSM) to ensure efficient management and secure supply in SEE area ,. SSM uses multiple sources, including recycled wastes. Objectives comprise coordination in management of aggregates, its supply by increasing the transfer of know-how, and supporting capacity building in firms, government and civil society. Project partners aim to achieve objectives through the work packages. Project partnership has 15 partners and 8 observers. Project activities will take place on three levels: local, regional/ national, and transnational. At the local level project aim is to:  a) optimize the efficiency of primary aggregates extraction, b) prevent/minimize environmental impacts of quarrying and improve reclamation, c) minimize illegal quarrying, d) promote recycling. At regional/national level project will: a) assess and quantify aggregate resources and relevant transportation links, b) develop SARM-strategies, considering aggregates in land use planning across regions, c) develop guidelines for SSM planning, and at transnational level: goals are to a) recommend methods for harmonizing SARM & SMM trans-regional and trans-national level, b) design a multi-purpose Aggregates Intelligence System (AIS) as a tool for information and know-how transfer. Additionally intention is to prepare a concept for a Regional Centre on SARM & SSM. Project activities will bring together institutional actors, decision makers, policy implementers, economic sector, quarry operators, civil society, and NGOs through workshops and targeted results.

Map of SARMa-countries:

SARMa-Methodical approach

Project partners are have a critical expertise the SEE area with regard to  aggregates R&D.. Project is structured in five Work Packages (WP), two are general and three thematic. WP1 and WP2 are related to the project management (WP1) (Geological Survey of Slovenia, project leader (Dr. Slavko Solar)) and communication and dissemination (WP2) (Technical University of Crete, Greece). WP3 is related to the extraction and demolition site (local) level, and will be coordinated by Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (Greece). WP4 is related to SARM and SMS activities on regional and national level and will be coordinated by the Hungarian Office for Mining and Geology. WP5 is related to South East Europe transnational level activities; work will start in the second part of the project (2010). WP5 lead partner is University of Leoben (Austria).

Project events on local level (13) will take places across the SEE area (IT, GR, SRB, AL, HU). Transnational events will mainly be linked with the project meetings (Bologna (IT), Split (HR), Bucharest (RO), Pella (GR) and St.Pölten (AT)). The last project meeting in Ljubljana (SI) will coincide with final EU conference on sustainable aggregate resource management.

Project progress can be observed on www.sarmaproject.eu.

PDK-Chef Nard Ndoka bezeichnete den Anschlag als “politisch motivierten Mord”. Die Christdemokraten waren seit Sommer des Vorjahres nicht mehr in der Regierung vertreten, nachdem Ndoka im Zuge einer Kabinettsumbildung das Amt des Gesundheitsministers räumen musste. Die PDK tritt nun bei der bevorstehenden Wahl nicht mehr innerhalb der Mitte-Rechts-Allianz um die Demokratische Partei (PD) von Ministerpräsident Sali Berisha an, sondern mit der kleinen Wahlkoalition Pol der Freiheit.

In der Gegend um Shkodra, wo der jetzt umgekommene Keka starb, war laut dem privaten TV-Sender “Top-Channel” die Rivalität zwischen Demokraten und Christdemokraten in den vergangenen Tagen besonders stark aufgeflammt, nachdem die demokratische Parlamentspräsidentin Jozefina Topalli den politischen Gegner als “Spione” bezeichnet hatte.

Erst vorige Woche war nahe der Hafenstadt Durres ein Aktivist der Demokraten im Streit um Wahlplakate getötet worden. Laut Polizei stritt das Opfer, der 25-jährige, dreifache Familienvater Artan Zeka mit einem Anhänger der Sozialisten wegen der Partei-Embleme. Dieser erschoss Zeka. Sozialisten-Chef Edi Rama wies eine Verwicklung seiner Partei in den Mord zurück.

Der Mord an dem sozialistischen Fatmir Xhindi Anfang Mai liegt weiter im Dunkeln. Niemand wurde bisher festgenommen. Xhindi wurde in Roskovec südlich von Tirana vor seinem Haus mit einer Kalaschnikow erschossen.

Vor allem die EU beobachtet den Wahlprozess in Albanien genau. Das Balkan-Land trat heuer der NATO bei.

Albanien hat offiziell seine Aufnahme in die EU beantragt. Der albanische Präsident Sali Berisha überreichte den Antrag dem tschechischen Ministerpräsidenten Mirek Topolanek, dessen Land gegenwärtig die rotierende EU-Ratspräsidentschaft innehat. “Ein Traum wird wahr”, sagte Berisha. Dieser Schritt markiere die Rückkehr seines Landes in die europäische Familie. “Mein Land ist leidenschaftlich pro Europa.”

Kommission lobt Bemühungen des Landes

Die EU-Kommission begrüßte den Antrag: Das Land habe “große Fortschritte” bei den wichtigsten politischen Reformen und bei der Vorbereitung für die Integration in die EU gemacht, sagte Leigh. Außerdem habe Albanien in der Region eine “konstruktive und stabilisierende Rolle” eingenommen, erklärte der für die EU-Erweiterung zuständige Generaldirektor der Kommission, Michael Leigh. Zu den Krisenherden der Region gehört das Kosovo, das mehrheitlich von Albanern bewohnt und von Serbien als Teil des eigenen Staatsgebietes betrachtet wird.

Entscheidung wohl erst in einigen Jahren

Die EU hat Albanien wie den übrigen Staaten des Westbalkans bereits 2002 auf einem Gipfeltreffen in Kopenhagen eine langfristige Perspektive auf einen Beitritt eingeräumt. Bis zu einer tatsächlichen Aufnahme in die Europäische Union wird sich Albanien aber noch gedulden müssen: Der Antrag wird nun zunächst dem EU-Ministerrat übermittelt, der dann die EU-Kommission um eine erste Expertise zu der Anfrage bitten kann. Auf Empfehlung der Kommission entscheidet der Ministerrat dann, ob Albanien offiziell zum EU-Beitrittskandidaten erklärt wird. Erst dann können die Beitrittsverhandlungen aufgenommen werden, die sich in der Regel über Jahre hinziehen.

Wahlen als Bewährungsprobe

Für die EU gilt der Verlauf der Parlamentswahl in Albanien im Juni als Bewährungsprobe für das Land. Seit dem Sturz der kommunistischen Führung Anfang der 1990er-Jahre waren die Urnengänge stets von Unregelmäßigkeiten begleitet. Die EU-Erweiterung auf dem Balkan ist derzeit ungewiss. Deutschland und Frankreich wollen neue Mitgliedsländer nur bei Inkrafttreten des Lissabon-Vertrags aufnehmen, der die EU handlungsfähiger machen soll.

Noch viele politische und wirtschaftliche Probleme ungelöst

Albanien war am 1. April in die NATO aufgenommen worden und ist seit 2006 mit der EU über ein Stabilisierungs- und Assoziationsabkommen verbunden. Mindestens jeder vierte der 3,4 Millionen Einwohner lebt unter dem Existenzminimum, das monatliche Pro-Kopf-Einkommen liegt bei wenig mehr als 200 Euro, damit zählt der Balkan-Staat zu den ärmsten Ländern Europas. Die EU-Kommission hatte bereits mehrfach vor allem Korruption und das ungehinderte Agieren der organisierten Kriminalität in Albanien kritisiert.

Derzeit sind Kroatien, die Türkei und Mazedonien Beitrittskandidaten. Mit Mazedonien gibt es aber noch keine Verhandlungen. Montenegro hatte im Dezember 2008 einen Beitrittsantrag gestellt, mit dem sich der Ministerrat bisher jedoch noch nicht befasst hat.

* Vorbei die Zeiten als noch Zehntausende von Anhänger der Demoratischen Partei Albaniens ihrem charismatischen Führer Sali Berisha zujubelten. Neue Umfragen in Albanien sehen die Opposion als die baldigen Gewinner.
* Oppositionsführer Edi Rama (Sozialistische Partei), der als Bürgermeister die Geschicke der Hauptstadt Tirana leitet, liegt in den Umfragen mit ca. 62% deutlich vor dem amtierenden Ministerpräsidenten.
* Vorbei der Jubel über die Aufnahme des kleinen Staats in die Reihen der NATO, vorbei die Feststimmung bei der Demokratischen Partei, die immer mehr in sich zerstritten ist.
* Investoren aus dem Ausland aber fürchten einen Regimewechsel. Der Kandidat auf den Posten eines Ministerpräsidenten, Edi Rama, hat aber der Hauptstadt Tirana ein neues Gesicht geschenkt. Die Strassen wurden neu geteert, die durchlöcherten Gehsteige repariert und die Grünflächen saniert. Dies sind Tatsachen, die den Bürger in die Augen springen und Edi Rama, zumindest in der Hauptstadt zum Sieg verhelfen könnten.
* Unvergessen die Fehlreaktionen der Regierung auf das Explosion des Munitonsdepots in Gerdec, wo viele Menschen ihr Leben verloren haben und Überlebende noch heute vergeblich auf Kompensation warten.

Fotogalerie des Explosionsunglücks von Gerdec (17.3.2008)

http://www.mafco.fr/monitor.html

Barrot reported to interior ministers in Luxembourg on the European Commission’s recent report on the advancement of each country in the region towards visa liberalisation. After the meeting, Barrot stated that EU member states had “the feeling that Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro have made a great effort”.

“I am not still absolutely certain but there is possibility to bring forth a proposition for visa liberalization before end of this year,” Barrot said. “At this stage I cannot insist but I can say it is possible of course if member states agree,” he added.

According to the European Commission’s report, only Macedonia has fulfilled all the necessary conditions for visa liberalisation. Montenegro and Serbia have made some progress, but further efforts are required, while Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are lagging behind in the process.

The target date for visa free travel was January 1, 2010. However, based on the present situation, some member states believed that only Macedonia will reach the target, while the process for Montenegro and Serbia may delayed for several months.

Barrot’s statement is the first confirmation that the three countries, grouped together, have a chance to make it onto the Schengen “white list”.According to EU sources, the European Commission will complete another evaluation in early autumn to determine whether Serbia and Montenegro have demonstrate further efforts towards the implementation of the road map. If the EU decides this year to grant visa-free travel to the citizens of the three countries, the decision would enter into force on January 1, 2010.

TI Albania notes that the public is treated quite superficially with the election program – to such an extent it often feels like they are completely ignored. It is very important for the public to have access to the intended policies of the individual candidates. TI Albania requests that the political parties publish their electoral policies with which they intend to govern should they be elected.

TI Albania has concluded that the drafting of lists of candidates was made without consultation with the public, and without the implementation of decision-making structures within the political parties. The candidate lists were made available well beyond the legal deadlines demonstrating publicly the weaknesses of this new electoral system and the weakening of democracy within the largest parties participating.

TI Albania urges the political parties that public transparency is fundamental to democracy, it is therefore vital to publish the CVs of candidates who run elections. TI Albania estimates that transparency with the past of the candidates gives citizens the opportunity to elect representatives to the Assembly adequately qualified and suitable to make a worthwhile contribution. It also creates the possibility of verifying candidates who run contrary to the law and the constitution of the country. Recalling Article 69 of the constitution, which clarifies the incompatibility of a candidate for deputy and expresses the invalidity to the mandate of winning in conflict with this article, you find the moment to give a call to the political parties to require by their candidates to resign from inconsistent positions with the mandate of the deputy, not using power to influence the election campaign.

TI Albania is also concerned at the low level of financial transparency of the electoral campaign. In order to raise the level of transparency,

• TI Albania asks for the publication of the financial bill of each electoral activity – rallies and other mass activities – promptly after the event.
• In respect to the Election Code, TI Albania urges a database should be created made available to the public where the government will list individuals who donate more than 100,000 Leke (US$ 1000) Additionally, the government should make public the bank accounts where these funds will be deposited.

TI Albania presses the government to publish a the list of the legal persons who benefited, or have been a partner with public funds during the past 4 years. This is in order to verify whether these entities are contributing to election campaigns in violation of the law.

TI Albania estimates that increasing transparency in election campaigns will increase the possibility of a more qualitative Parliament, consisting of MPs who serve for the benefit of the citizens who elected them.

Last year we followed four families across Eastern Europe to see how rising food prices had changed their daily lives.

Now a year on, Steven Eke has re-visited them to see how the global financial crisis has affected them.

A year on and the Mucmata family in the Albanian city of Kukes are facing new challenges.

Drita, a mother of two children, says they need new clothes for school. Prices are high and she cannot afford everything she needs.

Like many other women in the region, she is unemployed and there are no social benefits.

Many political parties are making pledges ahead of parliamentary elections on 28 June but Drita says these promises mean little and she doubts they will reduce women’s unemployment in Kukes.

On the positive side, Drita says there are now fewer power cuts, but the water supply remains irregular.

Some days, the family – which lives on the ground floor of their apartment block – has water for just two hours a day. Those living in the flats above them have more irregular supply because of low water pressure.

Bujar, the children’s father, says his salary has gone up a little. He takes home 35 euros a month more than a year ago, but his monthly salary of 240 euros still isn’t enough to cover the high cost of living.

The family borrowed 3,000 euros from a local bank to refurbish their old flat but he has been forced to borrow money from friends and family to cover the loan repayments.

The family has at times fallen behind with their electricity payments and it has been cut off.

But Bujar says he is still lucky to have a regular wage as many of his friends are unemployed. ]]> http://www.lajmeonline.com/2009/06/taking-the-pulse-eastern-europe/feed/ 0