K. Serbs fined over “Kosovo is Serbia” t-shirts

Dear all,

I believe in freedom of speech BUT Balkan mentality is different. It is better that they were fined, otherwise any of the hundreds of thousands K-Albanians who suffered in 1999 war or before, if had met any wearing these types T-shirt he could ended up worse.

It is Balkan mentality.

How would Serb react if an Albanian walks in Belgrade, Nis or anywhere in Serbia with a T-shirt saying:

1. "Albania up to Nis' or

2. "Presevo and Bojanovac always Albanian"

or Croat walking in down town Belgrade with a T-shirt saying;

"Hrvatska do Zemuna (Coatia up to Zemum)"

or Serb in Knin or Zagreb with a T-shirt saying:

"Knin is Serbia" or

"Vokovar is Serbia"

For those of you who are young to remember or perhaps never knew, in Kosovo in 1980s and 1990s it was forbiden to dress in RED & BLACK colours without EVEN anything written on it.

People were arrested and or beaten for wearing a combination of red & black, because this was reminding Serbs our Albanian flag.

GOD knows what would have happened if someone wore a T-shirt in Kosovo saying "Kosovo is Republic" or anything similar in 80s or 90s.

Nobody did dare to write it in a piece of paper "Kosovo is Republic" and keep it hidden, let alone go out with a T-shirt written like that...

Again, Serbs are far worse than anyone else in the Balkans with anything that touches their "freedom of speech", their "truth", and their "reality".

All in all, it is PITY, that most of Serbs still believe that:

1.ONLY their freedom of speech is "right"

2.ONLY their truth is "right" and

3.ONLY their reality is "right".

Fined for wearing a T-Shirt, sounds very communist to me! Is this what Kosovo is like these days!? Good luck to the Albanians in trying to keep it. Press like this is just what the Serbs need.

Exaxtly the same as if Serbia should start arresting people who claim Kosovo is independent..

You have to be kidding!! They were charged with "offending the albanian population"? LOL Im pretty much speechless...dont worry, Serbs wont forget this injustice done upon them....in the words of Borat, "you will be sorry"!

Ah jeez ... This is the dumbest thing that law enforcement can do. Aside from slander/libel or endangering public safety, people should have the freedom of expression (in the upcoming constitution, I believe it's one of the main points). So the hell what if they had shirts written with Kosovo je Serbia? Offending the Albanian population? Give me a break!

The amount of idiocy in this world never ceases to amaze me... Go solve a real crime KPS and leave people and their shirts alone!

KOSOVO is SERBIA!
(michael, 4 June 2008 18:39)

250€ fine.

You can continua Micheal, thank you for filling the budget of the Kosova Gov.t.

I wonder what would happen in Serbia should anyone decide to wear a T-shirt saying

Srbija je Siberia

This is fascism at its fines, all thanks to american imeprialism. What those Serbs should have done is spit right in the faces of "kps."

yet you guys had the same status in Kosovo as all the other republics at one point, but it wasn't good enough for you. Instead you took advantage of Yugo state and only gave 1 job to Serbs for every 10 available, if that! You posioned our farm wells, threw rocks at children and raped our ladies on farm fields. That's why many left and why Milosevic stripped you deservingly of your autonomy.

they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....
(berat, 4 June 2008 16:37)

Berat I would be surprised if you are in Kosovo coming out with such a statement.

Where else in the Balkans do communities have to live behind razor wire and have NATO troops take you shopping.

On the main subject of the T shirts, I defend the right to free speech. Obviously this new constitution coming from the Albanians does not.

Thats the Democratic EU support coming in!!!!!

well i think they got what they deserve... we albanians are trying all the best to get along with the serbs minority and they are looking the opposite way... they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....
(berat, 4 June 2008 16:37)

These comments always baffle me? If living behind barbed wire and having armed guards escort you to shopping is "more rights than any other minority in the balkans" then the K-Albanians should not be trusted with any sort of self-governance.

Also, if trying to get along with the Serbs means arresting them for expressing opinions -(I'm not sure how it works in Kosovo but freedom of expression goes hand in hand with democracy where I come from?) then I guess it's a sign of what the intentions of the Alabanians are when it comes to the Serbs.

As a parting note, another Albanian comment that just tops it off quite nicely:

"Fined!? Send them in prison..."
(Behar, 4 June 2008 17:09)

What civil and democratic attitudes!

"The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes preferred, since the right is not confined to verbal speech but is understood to protect any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used."

I guess this means freedom for Albanians and Croats to proclaim against Serbs, "kill kill kill" is okay, but a TShirt proclaiming the TRUTH is grounds for fines and intimidation.

Albanians must have gotten their directions from LEN. "LEN, the European swimming governing body, ruled that the T-shirt worn by Serbian Swimming STAR Milorad Cavic contained a political message. Suspension due to insubordination followed.

Choke on this political message, read it loud and clear.....

KOSOVO is SERBIA!

Let see from other perspective, shall we?

Let's say a guy wants to jump from the bridge willing to kill himself. A police officer rush to grab his hand and trying to save his life but the guy tries to fight off the police. In the end the police manage to pull him to safety and for his safety, handcuffs him and send him to the police station. During this arrest the guy kicks and swears at police, calling names and what not. For this, he gets a fine of 250 euros only, instead of being jailed, beaten up by police, for swearing and kicking at the police officer during the arrest.

Now, shall we blame the police for maybe, saving his life or injuring himself? Shall we blame the police for sending him to the police station for his safety?I dont think so, unless, of course, the guy who wanted to jump and kills himself is a Serb and the police officer saving him is Albanian.

Jovan, very well said post#26, "this is great info/incident, now his non Serbs friends have read about it. I am sure Jovan and a lot of Serbian's politician are celebrating now. They would've celebrated even more if this Serb, wearing this suicide t-shirt, was shot, only so the non serbs can read about it in media.

What Jovan said, at #26, is clear proof of what non K-Serbs think and wish for K-Serbs.

Just to make it clear, for me personally and I am sure for most of Albanians, this t-shirt would not have bothered us at all. In most probabilities this guy would've been shout(not SHOT) at with Albanians slogans, i.e Kosova is independent, KLA, Nato etc. But, just like in every other nations, we too have some of those who don't think rationally and most likely, this t-shirt-provocative message, would have had upset them and they would've taken the most drastic step and either kill the guy or wound him. There are also those who lost their families or some members of their family from the Serb's militia,police etc, hence, for them too, this is very provocative message.

Should a slogan like that be or considered provocative? No, not in my world anyway but unfortunately there are people who like to provoke others, hence the written message on t-shirt and there are those who will try, by all means, to stop those provocations.

Therefore my dear friends of B92, if the police did not stop them, send them to the police station, for their safety, then today, most likely, we would've read about two guys shot dead for wearing a t-shirt saying "Kosovo je Serbija".

Now let me ask you all, which of these two news report would you guys prefered?

Wearing T-shirts carrying offensive, and criminal messages like that should be fined 500 euros and some jail time too.

Dear B-92;
This is at least the second time you have twisted reports out of Kosova. The other time, when you reported about the policewoman being shot and killed in Kosova. It turned out it was a self inflicted wounds that caused her death (suicide). Today you managed to twist this story "K. Serbs fined for wearing “Kosovo is Serbia” t-shirts. If you check the facts, the policeman were threatened with their lives, were not recognized their authority, and as a compromise for the youngsters welfare were not arrested but anly fined.
As objective as you are, mistakes happen but try not to make a habit of it.
Thank You.

I think the fine and arrest is stupid. That said, the people wearing this are even dumber. I would not wear a Hashim Thaci shirt at a Belgrade soccer match or a Karadzic one in Muslim town in Bosnia. This is a free speech issue, but if it causes a riot (i.e. people want to kill you) it's different.

This is very very lame. KPS should respect freedom of expression. Serbs and anybody else can wear any T-shirt they like.

I'm suprised at B92 for reporting this incident in such a biased manner. The official charges were "provocation based on ethnicity" which is against the law not "an insult to Albanian population." Moreover, they declined to be ordered and checked by "Fake policemen." Instead of being arrested they were fined.
One can imagine what a provocation would have been if a citizen of Vojvodina walks around with a Tshirt that read "Vojvodina Je Madzarska" in Novi Sad.
JETON, before you bash someone check the facts.
MILOS thanks for recognizing the fact that Kosova had the same status as other Republics in YUG.
Need everyone be reminded that Serbians beat and arrested people in Kosova for wearing "red and black". As far as injusticies done to one another- how is that most of the war criminals and least of victims are Serbs?

well i think they got what they deserve... we albanians are trying all the best to get along with the serbs minority and they are looking the opposite way... they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....

Fined!? Send them in prison. Who sended them in Kosovo by those T shirts, Kostunica or Seselj?

very amazing how Serb-community gets outraged because of nonsence, see posting. Even those who usually try to keep a mask of civilization declare open racizm. Congratulation B92 that you report so "balanced and dont agitate against Albanians" in a scuzzy way.

By the way, even if stupid it is obviously not dangerous to wear these shirts in Kosovo, but how about normal Albanians in Serbia? Would you think that those who posted above would not attack one physically?

"yet you guys had the same status in Kosovo as all the other republics at one point, but it wasn't good enough for you. Instead you took advantage of Yugo state and only gave 1 job to Serbs for every 10 available, if that! You posioned our farm wells, threw rocks at children and raped our ladies on farm fields. That's why many left and why Milosevic stripped you deservingly of your autonomy."

Milos, save it bro! I think the Milosevic propaganda, excuse me, the Kosovo Serbs propaganda, or rather lies back in the 80's and 90's that Albanians are raping the Serb women, did not hold water. The entire world know who poised who.

Velcom everyone, Velcom to the new Kosova! Where you can burn as many churches as you want and keep people behind razor wire but wear the wrong type of shirt and you'll end up in jail!

Remember when A serbian athlete was disqualified in Netherlands (if I am not mistaking) for wearing the same thing!!!

Also I believe the KPS did not fine them but warned them, because wearing T-Shirts like that only provoke people. Kosova doesn't need that.

This kind of thing worked for Serbian propaganda in the past. Nowadays it wont! Rules have changed.

Peace.

"well i think they got what they deserve... we albanians are trying all the best to get along with the serbs minority and they are looking the opposite way... they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....
(berat, 4 June 2008 16:37)"

Surely this proves that K-Serbs don't have more rights then any other minority in balkans. Anyone claiming this is living in cloudcuckooland.

I am sure you would be the first to complain if an Albanian was arrested in Presevo for having a t-shirt that said Presevo is Kosovo or words to that effect.

Sadly unsurprising to see that Slobo (and his destructive policies) still have a following.

Nonetheless, and if this is true, an overzelaus cop has made a very very silly decision.

that´s what you get if you put an K-albanian ( probably a kla-member ) into a "police"-uniform...

great, this information has made it even through to my non-serbian friends.

thank you very much, mr."police"-officer...

let´s see for how long they will have the opportunity to play "police"...

“…fact that Kosova had the same status as other Republics in YUG…”

Almost, Burim. It didn’t have one important thing – right to independence. That was also main reason of Albanian demonstrations in the 80’s. You demanded then that Kosovo become republic as a first step for proclaiming independent Albanian state.

CLEVER EH - So how much do those who fly the Albanian flag get fined? Think about that one children.

I would suggest setting up a fund to pay the fine of these two youngsters and also ship some more t-shirts to Pristina.
I am ready to contribute 100 EUR

So, its OK for Albanians in Presevo to use violence and force to gain entrance to public government buildings to hoist the Albanian flag over it on “flag day”, but wearing a T-Shirt is highly provocative and they were “fined” and taken away for their own protection to save them from being lynched by angry Albanian mobs?

I do applaud the moderate Albanians here who have stood up for freedom of speech, even though they find the T-shirt and its message distasteful.

To the rest of you, I’m sadly disappointed, and you have much to learn about freedom and democracy. So many of you so strongly supported the violent flag raising, yet somehow use the exact opposite logic to condemn the action of these Serbs.

Something is seriously wrong with your society if the mob is going to lynch and kill people for making a simple political statement. Yet, for many of you, that is somehow an acceptable way to structure a new society.

Violence (KLA) is OK for the Albanians when they are seeking independence, but Serbs can’t even wear a T-Shirt supporting their cause.

You bring up Serbian crimes against Albanians and use that as justification for the Albanians wanting to attack Serbs, yet neglect the simple fact that per capita the average Serb of Kosovo was just as likely as the average Albanian of Kosovo to suffer as a victim of ethnic crime. Add to that the much higher per capita rate of the missing and ethnically cleansed, and you sound like hypocrites.

Ben, are you seriously trying to imply that these KPS officers were motivated solely by the desire to protect these Serbs, or it is more likely that they were very offended by it and used whatever means they could to punish these Serbs? Why such a high fine then?

I would suggest setting up a fund to pay the fine of these two youngsters and also ship some more t-shirts to Pristina.
I am ready to contribute 100 EUR
(Tim Elliott, 5 June 2008 11:37)

What we have here is a clear and primitive provocation from the Serbian micro-minority in Kosova.

I am very glad to hear that Serbs in Kosova do not live in cages as the anti-Kosova propaganda is depicting but that actually they are alive and dazzling with provocations.

On other hand we have in appearance correct proceeding (admin. fining) but in substance another undemocratic act.

As my friend would say ‘it’s in everybody’s right to be stupid, except the authorities’ – but, if you challenge the authorities you end up in jail- so those two guys should’ve been send in jail, if they challenged the authorities, or let them free and happy with their t-shirts.

In the Balkans we move from one extreme to another.

Anyhow, the only thing that we don’t need for sure is the money of someone like Tim Elliott that will bring only troubles and conflicts. Keep your money for yourself and your family Tim.

:) so hilarious...

Reading these comments makes me laugh; it seams like one of the joke you read on the inter-net. If a Serb wears a t-shirt saying “Kosovo is Serbia” he is offending Albanians and is fined 250 Euros. And if an Albanian is found in procession of a UCK t-shirt (in there homes), he is lock up in prison for being a terrorist. It seams that if you kill a person in the Balkans is less of a crime the wearing a t-shirt or in the Albanian case owning a t-shirt!!!

God bless to Balkans because they need it!!!

Stupid, stupid action by the illegal police in the illegal state. The cry about K-Serbs being the best protected minority in the world rings hollow when these 2 Serbian men were fined presumably in their own area by ex KLA, KPS Police. Now is the KPS going to round up those who burned down the churches or who wear those UCK shirts. Nonsense. If anything, this act will only drive a furtehr wedge between the 2 communities.

Question as an outsider:
When the albanians were protesting and waving albanian flags when they were asking for Kossovo to be independent from Serbia, they had that right, although they were chased or/and beaten byt the Serbian police.
Now that they are blaming the Serbians for doing that, they dont recognise the right of similar expressions to the Serbs of their (illegal for me) state?
I mean it was ok for them then and it isnt ok for the Serbs now?

It doesnt matter what the intentions of the policemen were, it really doesnt matter if it was a fine, imprisonement or beaten up to death or just protection measures.
What matters is that the Kossovo albanians now that they have the upper hand in the area are doing what they blame the Serbs have done in the past.
Thats not democracy, thats stupidity :)

I was waitting to see the reactions and I am not surprised how readers are commentating.
On one hand there is the violation of human rights like freedom of expression, movement etc etc...
But on the other hand what if the police fined these serb nationalists to protect them from any albanian attack who might be easily provoked by these stamped T-Shirt.
If you really think this is unfair what happened in Kosovo... try to put on a shirt written Kosovo je Albania and go around in the streets of belgrade, Novi pazar or wherever. I am pretty the policeman won't fine you ... you will be beaten to death immediately by extremists... so try to see this incident in any other perspectives.... situation is very tense and is so easy to provoke each other... so some human rights must be limited for the sake of peace and stability ...

One think I did not understand. Does the fine include the cost of the new T-shirts given to them as a replacment.

I agree with the KPS on this one. We all know what problems Kosovo has, as if thats not enough all we need are people wearing such shirts and patroling in the cities of Kosovo.

I could care less about a T shirt if i have a job and providing for my family. I am still looking for a job and everyone said sorry no work. I cannot eat a t shirt and seems like everyone is worried bout a shirt. If i can get a job selling that t shirt i will. Yes i am albanian but my family is hungry. To hell with these people who are complaining about a T shirt. If i can get a job wearing it i will.

so much for freedom of expression.

If the Serbs were living in barbwired areas and if their freedom of movement and situation was as presented, how come they dared walking with such t-shirts in Kosova? Strange! They do not have freedom of movement, but they walk in the streets with "Kosova is Serbia" sign!!!

Ben gave a very strong and reasonable argument why the police stopped and arrested them. Perhaps you guys, the Serbs, wished the youngsters beaten up or killed, in worst case, then say look what the Albanians are doing. I hail police proactive and preventive action. Their action may sound and seem like being against free speech, but it actually stops provocations and prevents tragic cases. Be reasonable people...

Damn right! Though I think 250 euros is way to little since Serbs in Kosovo get two wages: one from Belgrade and another one from Prishtina!

Kosovo is not Knin or Vukovar(those are Serb populated regions), Kosovo has always been Serbian land. We have the deeds not you, and you know it. If Serbs did not agree to partioning of their land then its not rightfully yours. If it wasn't so, you Albanians wouldn't waste your time coming to B92 and post. You see, you're bothered by it and find it soothing to your mind to come here and argue that Kosovo is independent. If it truly was you wouldn't waste your time here. As long as Serbs are alive Kosovo will always be Serbian. Why is there more Serbian criminals and less Serb victims?...because the U.S State Dept and CNN said so. Why don't you ask the UN soldiers on the ground there(of course ask the one's you haven't feed free drugs and prostitutes)about real victims and criminals.

I am going to write one bad thing now. This was possible on Albanian majority side of Kosovo: it will never be possible in the North of Kosovo.

if they ever want to be at least somewhat of a credible state, their police should tackle massive corruption, crime and anything else that is their job instead of fining serbs for wearing a t-shirt.

hence why the state will never survive long enough, once US is gone they will collapse. it's already bad enough and has been for past 10 years

"An eye for an eye makes the world blind" someone wise said. Let's talk about principles. If everybody,according to the freedom of thought, must have the right to wear any t shirt it wishes, I am indignant the same for what happended to albanians before and what happened to serbs now. Why are you so afraid to call things with their own names? Injustice is injustice, comparing it with others doesn't make it righteous. Recongnizig mistakes doesn't diminish the suffering of both our people. Ko je poceo rat doesn't lead as anywhere, because we will never find any agreement, let's focus on not repeating the past and the mistakes we attribute to the others.

well i think they got what they deserve... we albanians are trying all the best to get along with the serbs minority and they are looking the opposite way... they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....

Fined!? Send them in prison. Who sended them in Kosovo by those T shirts, Kostunica or Seselj?

Remember when A serbian athlete was disqualified in Netherlands (if I am not mistaking) for wearing the same thing!!!

Also I believe the KPS did not fine them but warned them, because wearing T-Shirts like that only provoke people. Kosova doesn't need that.

This kind of thing worked for Serbian propaganda in the past. Nowadays it wont! Rules have changed.

Peace.

"yet you guys had the same status in Kosovo as all the other republics at one point, but it wasn't good enough for you. Instead you took advantage of Yugo state and only gave 1 job to Serbs for every 10 available, if that! You posioned our farm wells, threw rocks at children and raped our ladies on farm fields. That's why many left and why Milosevic stripped you deservingly of your autonomy."

Milos, save it bro! I think the Milosevic propaganda, excuse me, the Kosovo Serbs propaganda, or rather lies back in the 80's and 90's that Albanians are raping the Serb women, did not hold water. The entire world know who poised who.

very amazing how Serb-community gets outraged because of nonsence, see posting. Even those who usually try to keep a mask of civilization declare open racizm. Congratulation B92 that you report so "balanced and dont agitate against Albanians" in a scuzzy way.

By the way, even if stupid it is obviously not dangerous to wear these shirts in Kosovo, but how about normal Albanians in Serbia? Would you think that those who posted above would not attack one physically?

Dear B-92;
This is at least the second time you have twisted reports out of Kosova. The other time, when you reported about the policewoman being shot and killed in Kosova. It turned out it was a self inflicted wounds that caused her death (suicide). Today you managed to twist this story "K. Serbs fined for wearing “Kosovo is Serbia” t-shirts. If you check the facts, the policeman were threatened with their lives, were not recognized their authority, and as a compromise for the youngsters welfare were not arrested but anly fined.
As objective as you are, mistakes happen but try not to make a habit of it.
Thank You.

This is fascism at its fines, all thanks to american imeprialism. What those Serbs should have done is spit right in the faces of "kps."

I'm suprised at B92 for reporting this incident in such a biased manner. The official charges were "provocation based on ethnicity" which is against the law not "an insult to Albanian population." Moreover, they declined to be ordered and checked by "Fake policemen." Instead of being arrested they were fined.
One can imagine what a provocation would have been if a citizen of Vojvodina walks around with a Tshirt that read "Vojvodina Je Madzarska" in Novi Sad.
JETON, before you bash someone check the facts.
MILOS thanks for recognizing the fact that Kosova had the same status as other Republics in YUG.
Need everyone be reminded that Serbians beat and arrested people in Kosova for wearing "red and black". As far as injusticies done to one another- how is that most of the war criminals and least of victims are Serbs?

yet you guys had the same status in Kosovo as all the other republics at one point, but it wasn't good enough for you. Instead you took advantage of Yugo state and only gave 1 job to Serbs for every 10 available, if that! You posioned our farm wells, threw rocks at children and raped our ladies on farm fields. That's why many left and why Milosevic stripped you deservingly of your autonomy.

Sadly unsurprising to see that Slobo (and his destructive policies) still have a following.

Nonetheless, and if this is true, an overzelaus cop has made a very very silly decision.

KOSOVO is SERBIA!
(michael, 4 June 2008 18:39)

250€ fine.

You can continua Micheal, thank you for filling the budget of the Kosova Gov.t.

Fined for wearing a T-Shirt, sounds very communist to me! Is this what Kosovo is like these days!? Good luck to the Albanians in trying to keep it. Press like this is just what the Serbs need.

I wonder what would happen in Serbia should anyone decide to wear a T-shirt saying

Srbija je Siberia

I agree with the KPS on this one. We all know what problems Kosovo has, as if thats not enough all we need are people wearing such shirts and patroling in the cities of Kosovo.

Wearing T-shirts carrying offensive, and criminal messages like that should be fined 500 euros and some jail time too.

Reading these comments makes me laugh; it seams like one of the joke you read on the inter-net. If a Serb wears a t-shirt saying “Kosovo is Serbia” he is offending Albanians and is fined 250 Euros. And if an Albanian is found in procession of a UCK t-shirt (in there homes), he is lock up in prison for being a terrorist. It seams that if you kill a person in the Balkans is less of a crime the wearing a t-shirt or in the Albanian case owning a t-shirt!!!

God bless to Balkans because they need it!!!

If the Serbs were living in barbwired areas and if their freedom of movement and situation was as presented, how come they dared walking with such t-shirts in Kosova? Strange! They do not have freedom of movement, but they walk in the streets with "Kosova is Serbia" sign!!!

Ben gave a very strong and reasonable argument why the police stopped and arrested them. Perhaps you guys, the Serbs, wished the youngsters beaten up or killed, in worst case, then say look what the Albanians are doing. I hail police proactive and preventive action. Their action may sound and seem like being against free speech, but it actually stops provocations and prevents tragic cases. Be reasonable people...

I would suggest setting up a fund to pay the fine of these two youngsters and also ship some more t-shirts to Pristina.
I am ready to contribute 100 EUR
(Tim Elliott, 5 June 2008 11:37)

What we have here is a clear and primitive provocation from the Serbian micro-minority in Kosova.

I am very glad to hear that Serbs in Kosova do not live in cages as the anti-Kosova propaganda is depicting but that actually they are alive and dazzling with provocations.

On other hand we have in appearance correct proceeding (admin. fining) but in substance another undemocratic act.

As my friend would say ‘it’s in everybody’s right to be stupid, except the authorities’ – but, if you challenge the authorities you end up in jail- so those two guys should’ve been send in jail, if they challenged the authorities, or let them free and happy with their t-shirts.

In the Balkans we move from one extreme to another.

Anyhow, the only thing that we don’t need for sure is the money of someone like Tim Elliott that will bring only troubles and conflicts. Keep your money for yourself and your family Tim.

Ah jeez ... This is the dumbest thing that law enforcement can do. Aside from slander/libel or endangering public safety, people should have the freedom of expression (in the upcoming constitution, I believe it's one of the main points). So the hell what if they had shirts written with Kosovo je Serbia? Offending the Albanian population? Give me a break!

The amount of idiocy in this world never ceases to amaze me... Go solve a real crime KPS and leave people and their shirts alone!

This is very very lame. KPS should respect freedom of expression. Serbs and anybody else can wear any T-shirt they like.

well i think they got what they deserve... we albanians are trying all the best to get along with the serbs minority and they are looking the opposite way... they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....
(berat, 4 June 2008 16:37)

These comments always baffle me? If living behind barbed wire and having armed guards escort you to shopping is "more rights than any other minority in the balkans" then the K-Albanians should not be trusted with any sort of self-governance.

Also, if trying to get along with the Serbs means arresting them for expressing opinions -(I'm not sure how it works in Kosovo but freedom of expression goes hand in hand with democracy where I come from?) then I guess it's a sign of what the intentions of the Alabanians are when it comes to the Serbs.

As a parting note, another Albanian comment that just tops it off quite nicely:

"Fined!? Send them in prison..."
(Behar, 4 June 2008 17:09)

What civil and democratic attitudes!

"The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes preferred, since the right is not confined to verbal speech but is understood to protect any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used."

I guess this means freedom for Albanians and Croats to proclaim against Serbs, "kill kill kill" is okay, but a TShirt proclaiming the TRUTH is grounds for fines and intimidation.

Albanians must have gotten their directions from LEN. "LEN, the European swimming governing body, ruled that the T-shirt worn by Serbian Swimming STAR Milorad Cavic contained a political message. Suspension due to insubordination followed.

Choke on this political message, read it loud and clear.....

KOSOVO is SERBIA!

that´s what you get if you put an K-albanian ( probably a kla-member ) into a "police"-uniform...

great, this information has made it even through to my non-serbian friends.

thank you very much, mr."police"-officer...

let´s see for how long they will have the opportunity to play "police"...

Let see from other perspective, shall we?

Let's say a guy wants to jump from the bridge willing to kill himself. A police officer rush to grab his hand and trying to save his life but the guy tries to fight off the police. In the end the police manage to pull him to safety and for his safety, handcuffs him and send him to the police station. During this arrest the guy kicks and swears at police, calling names and what not. For this, he gets a fine of 250 euros only, instead of being jailed, beaten up by police, for swearing and kicking at the police officer during the arrest.

Now, shall we blame the police for maybe, saving his life or injuring himself? Shall we blame the police for sending him to the police station for his safety?I dont think so, unless, of course, the guy who wanted to jump and kills himself is a Serb and the police officer saving him is Albanian.

Jovan, very well said post#26, "this is great info/incident, now his non Serbs friends have read about it. I am sure Jovan and a lot of Serbian's politician are celebrating now. They would've celebrated even more if this Serb, wearing this suicide t-shirt, was shot, only so the non serbs can read about it in media.

What Jovan said, at #26, is clear proof of what non K-Serbs think and wish for K-Serbs.

Just to make it clear, for me personally and I am sure for most of Albanians, this t-shirt would not have bothered us at all. In most probabilities this guy would've been shout(not SHOT) at with Albanians slogans, i.e Kosova is independent, KLA, Nato etc. But, just like in every other nations, we too have some of those who don't think rationally and most likely, this t-shirt-provocative message, would have had upset them and they would've taken the most drastic step and either kill the guy or wound him. There are also those who lost their families or some members of their family from the Serb's militia,police etc, hence, for them too, this is very provocative message.

Should a slogan like that be or considered provocative? No, not in my world anyway but unfortunately there are people who like to provoke others, hence the written message on t-shirt and there are those who will try, by all means, to stop those provocations.

Therefore my dear friends of B92, if the police did not stop them, send them to the police station, for their safety, then today, most likely, we would've read about two guys shot dead for wearing a t-shirt saying "Kosovo je Serbija".

Now let me ask you all, which of these two news report would you guys prefered?

Damn right! Though I think 250 euros is way to little since Serbs in Kosovo get two wages: one from Belgrade and another one from Prishtina!

Exaxtly the same as if Serbia should start arresting people who claim Kosovo is independent..

You have to be kidding!! They were charged with "offending the albanian population"? LOL Im pretty much speechless...dont worry, Serbs wont forget this injustice done upon them....in the words of Borat, "you will be sorry"!

:) so hilarious...

they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....
(berat, 4 June 2008 16:37)

Berat I would be surprised if you are in Kosovo coming out with such a statement.

Where else in the Balkans do communities have to live behind razor wire and have NATO troops take you shopping.

On the main subject of the T shirts, I defend the right to free speech. Obviously this new constitution coming from the Albanians does not.

Thats the Democratic EU support coming in!!!!!

"well i think they got what they deserve... we albanians are trying all the best to get along with the serbs minority and they are looking the opposite way... they have more rights then any other minority in ballkans....
(berat, 4 June 2008 16:37)"

Surely this proves that K-Serbs don't have more rights then any other minority in balkans. Anyone claiming this is living in cloudcuckooland.

I am sure you would be the first to complain if an Albanian was arrested in Presevo for having a t-shirt that said Presevo is Kosovo or words to that effect.

CLEVER EH - So how much do those who fly the Albanian flag get fined? Think about that one children.

I was waitting to see the reactions and I am not surprised how readers are commentating.
On one hand there is the violation of human rights like freedom of expression, movement etc etc...
But on the other hand what if the police fined these serb nationalists to protect them from any albanian attack who might be easily provoked by these stamped T-Shirt.
If you really think this is unfair what happened in Kosovo... try to put on a shirt written Kosovo je Albania and go around in the streets of belgrade, Novi pazar or wherever. I am pretty the policeman won't fine you ... you will be beaten to death immediately by extremists... so try to see this incident in any other perspectives.... situation is very tense and is so easy to provoke each other... so some human rights must be limited for the sake of peace and stability ...

Dear all,

I believe in freedom of speech BUT Balkan mentality is different. It is better that they were fined, otherwise any of the hundreds of thousands K-Albanians who suffered in 1999 war or before, if had met any wearing these types T-shirt he could ended up worse.

It is Balkan mentality.

How would Serb react if an Albanian walks in Belgrade, Nis or anywhere in Serbia with a T-shirt saying:

1. "Albania up to Nis' or

2. "Presevo and Bojanovac always Albanian"

or Croat walking in down town Belgrade with a T-shirt saying;

"Hrvatska do Zemuna (Coatia up to Zemum)"

or Serb in Knin or Zagreb with a T-shirt saying:

"Knin is Serbia" or

"Vokovar is Serbia"

For those of you who are young to remember or perhaps never knew, in Kosovo in 1980s and 1990s it was forbiden to dress in RED & BLACK colours without EVEN anything written on it.

People were arrested and or beaten for wearing a combination of red & black, because this was reminding Serbs our Albanian flag.

GOD knows what would have happened if someone wore a T-shirt in Kosovo saying "Kosovo is Republic" or anything similar in 80s or 90s.

Nobody did dare to write it in a piece of paper "Kosovo is Republic" and keep it hidden, let alone go out with a T-shirt written like that...

Again, Serbs are far worse than anyone else in the Balkans with anything that touches their "freedom of speech", their "truth", and their "reality".

All in all, it is PITY, that most of Serbs still believe that:

1.ONLY their freedom of speech is "right"

2.ONLY their truth is "right" and

3.ONLY their reality is "right".

I would suggest setting up a fund to pay the fine of these two youngsters and also ship some more t-shirts to Pristina.
I am ready to contribute 100 EUR

One think I did not understand. Does the fine include the cost of the new T-shirts given to them as a replacment.

I am going to write one bad thing now. This was possible on Albanian majority side of Kosovo: it will never be possible in the North of Kosovo.

“…fact that Kosova had the same status as other Republics in YUG…”

Almost, Burim. It didn’t have one important thing – right to independence. That was also main reason of Albanian demonstrations in the 80’s. You demanded then that Kosovo become republic as a first step for proclaiming independent Albanian state.

Velcom everyone, Velcom to the new Kosova! Where you can burn as many churches as you want and keep people behind razor wire but wear the wrong type of shirt and you'll end up in jail!

I think the fine and arrest is stupid. That said, the people wearing this are even dumber. I would not wear a Hashim Thaci shirt at a Belgrade soccer match or a Karadzic one in Muslim town in Bosnia. This is a free speech issue, but if it causes a riot (i.e. people want to kill you) it's different.

so much for freedom of expression.

if they ever want to be at least somewhat of a credible state, their police should tackle massive corruption, crime and anything else that is their job instead of fining serbs for wearing a t-shirt.

hence why the state will never survive long enough, once US is gone they will collapse. it's already bad enough and has been for past 10 years

Stupid, stupid action by the illegal police in the illegal state. The cry about K-Serbs being the best protected minority in the world rings hollow when these 2 Serbian men were fined presumably in their own area by ex KLA, KPS Police. Now is the KPS going to round up those who burned down the churches or who wear those UCK shirts. Nonsense. If anything, this act will only drive a furtehr wedge between the 2 communities.

So, its OK for Albanians in Presevo to use violence and force to gain entrance to public government buildings to hoist the Albanian flag over it on “flag day”, but wearing a T-Shirt is highly provocative and they were “fined” and taken away for their own protection to save them from being lynched by angry Albanian mobs?

I do applaud the moderate Albanians here who have stood up for freedom of speech, even though they find the T-shirt and its message distasteful.

To the rest of you, I’m sadly disappointed, and you have much to learn about freedom and democracy. So many of you so strongly supported the violent flag raising, yet somehow use the exact opposite logic to condemn the action of these Serbs.

Something is seriously wrong with your society if the mob is going to lynch and kill people for making a simple political statement. Yet, for many of you, that is somehow an acceptable way to structure a new society.

Violence (KLA) is OK for the Albanians when they are seeking independence, but Serbs can’t even wear a T-Shirt supporting their cause.

You bring up Serbian crimes against Albanians and use that as justification for the Albanians wanting to attack Serbs, yet neglect the simple fact that per capita the average Serb of Kosovo was just as likely as the average Albanian of Kosovo to suffer as a victim of ethnic crime. Add to that the much higher per capita rate of the missing and ethnically cleansed, and you sound like hypocrites.

Ben, are you seriously trying to imply that these KPS officers were motivated solely by the desire to protect these Serbs, or it is more likely that they were very offended by it and used whatever means they could to punish these Serbs? Why such a high fine then?

Question as an outsider:
When the albanians were protesting and waving albanian flags when they were asking for Kossovo to be independent from Serbia, they had that right, although they were chased or/and beaten byt the Serbian police.
Now that they are blaming the Serbians for doing that, they dont recognise the right of similar expressions to the Serbs of their (illegal for me) state?
I mean it was ok for them then and it isnt ok for the Serbs now?

It doesnt matter what the intentions of the policemen were, it really doesnt matter if it was a fine, imprisonement or beaten up to death or just protection measures.
What matters is that the Kossovo albanians now that they have the upper hand in the area are doing what they blame the Serbs have done in the past.
Thats not democracy, thats stupidity :)

Kosovo is not Knin or Vukovar(those are Serb populated regions), Kosovo has always been Serbian land. We have the deeds not you, and you know it. If Serbs did not agree to partioning of their land then its not rightfully yours. If it wasn't so, you Albanians wouldn't waste your time coming to B92 and post. You see, you're bothered by it and find it soothing to your mind to come here and argue that Kosovo is independent. If it truly was you wouldn't waste your time here. As long as Serbs are alive Kosovo will always be Serbian. Why is there more Serbian criminals and less Serb victims?...because the U.S State Dept and CNN said so. Why don't you ask the UN soldiers on the ground there(of course ask the one's you haven't feed free drugs and prostitutes)about real victims and criminals.

"An eye for an eye makes the world blind" someone wise said. Let's talk about principles. If everybody,according to the freedom of thought, must have the right to wear any t shirt it wishes, I am indignant the same for what happended to albanians before and what happened to serbs now. Why are you so afraid to call things with their own names? Injustice is injustice, comparing it with others doesn't make it righteous. Recongnizig mistakes doesn't diminish the suffering of both our people. Ko je poceo rat doesn't lead as anywhere, because we will never find any agreement, let's focus on not repeating the past and the mistakes we attribute to the others.

I could care less about a T shirt if i have a job and providing for my family. I am still looking for a job and everyone said sorry no work. I cannot eat a t shirt and seems like everyone is worried bout a shirt. If i can get a job selling that t shirt i will. Yes i am albanian but my family is hungry. To hell with these people who are complaining about a T shirt. If i can get a job wearing it i will.