“Kosovo: Law, politics, reality”

For Goodness Sake, why can't we all stop this nonsense?

Now, in these times of economic uncertainty, I feel it would be very sensible for the people in Kosovo to concentrate their efforts on building up their economy and providing jobs and a future for Kosovo's young population.
Last Tuesday, the International Media LIED about the situation in Kosovo, more or less stating that Kosovo's first year of so-called 'independence' has been a success.

The bare facts are that, after one whole year, only some 27% of UN member states have recognised Kosovo's independence and this is not going to change dramatically.
KOSOVO'S ECONOMY IS IN TATTERS and it seems to me that the politicians don't care so long as they can feather their own nests.

I'd love to see the people of Kosovo install a government in Pristina that could talk honestly to the forthcoming new government in Belgrade about the furure of Kosovo and how to make it a thriving economic success as a special autonomous province of Serbia.

Therein, I feel, rests the solution for Kosovo's people.

MB,Ireland

Kosovo is neither independent or under the control of Belgrade. It's in limbo, once again. The so called independence of Kosovo created more problems then it managed to sulve. This should be a lesson to all those who think there can be peace by trying to satisfy on side in a conflict and ignoring the other.

why as a province of Serbia so in 20 years they could be murdered, ethnically cleansed again. NO as an Indipendent nation is the only way and the way IT IS and the way IT WILL BE FOREVER

Micheal, you may be a realist, but a realist with prejudices nonetheless. How convenient it is for you to tell Kosovo to focus on its economy while at the same time Serbia has been trying to impede its development for years, even opposing the EU presence who would only help build rule of law.
You have the perception of a true politician, examining things from the top-down, and not from the bottom up. The people do want to improve their lives, but at the same time they have very vivid memories of living under a Serbian state which labored in their extermination.
Why can't Kosovo become a very successful independent state? Why just a province? There lies your prejudice.

I am not sure if any of you know about this latest poll, or have seen it on B92, but according to Strategic Marketing based in Belgrade, 61% of respondents in Serbia believe that Serbia has now lost Kosovo. Only 2.5% believe that Kosovo is part of Serbia.

Micheal Breathnach


It is better for all albanians starve to death than giving Kosovo back under serbia.

Kosovo got economic problems because of Serbia trying to destabilize the territory by using the minority serbs there. If Serbia would let the people of Kosovo live free in their own land where they have been living for centurys. There is no peace with serbia and as long there is no peace there will not be any economic growth.

Kosovo can never be serbian territory again. That's just a bad dream. Serbia should insteed help Kosovo to gain economic growth by respecting the new reality. A new reality where albanians got full controll over Kosovo. Specially now when UNMIK has leaved.

Micheal Breathnach


If Serbia can help Kosovo be an economic succes as an autonomus province of Serbia then it can also help Kosovo gain economic succes as an independent state. Kosovo leaders are more than happy to talk with belgrade officials as two independent nations. That would help the entire region to focus on EU and economic wellbeing.


Ang the fairytale about Kosovo has gain everything and Serbia nothing. Those tales are false. Kosovo has compromised alote while Serbia nothing. Kosovo serbs got the greatest right a minority can have in the whole world. Kosovo has made a flag that all nationaltis can relate to. Also the anthem is neutral. Serbian language is an official languange.

If Kosovo would remain a serbian territory then Serbia would get it all. That is not fair after all trouble albanians has gone trough under serbian rule. We try'ed that way under 100 years since 1913 but it diden't function. Kosovo has to be independent that's it.

RE: Serbian Ethnic Cleansing

Serbians and Albanians lived side by side with little or no problems until 1941 when Nazi Germany invaded and dismembered Yugoslavia & used Albanian extremists in Kosovo against the Kosovo population.

The same policy continued under Tito who continued to appease the extremist Albanian(s) within the Communist Party granting them an autonomous province in 1974.

Up until the present moment, the Kosovo Serbs have been forced to leave Kosovo by blackmail, intimidation and brute force culiminating in NATO's bombing in 1999.

If words don't matter, than numbers do, what remains of Serbs in Kosovo is less than 5% of the population and the UCK/KLA proxies would like to see them go also.

The true Butcher of the Balkans, Croatian Ustase Nazi leader Ante Pavelic managed to exterminate and or cleanse a pre-war Serb population of 30% down to 12%, Franjo Tudjman managed to lower down to less than 3% with the support of it's US proxies. The UCK/KLA terrorists Ceku along with Thaci have done virtually the same in Kosovo.

Peggy

You always make these breathtakingly sophisticated arguments regarding Albanians, but always seem to be lacking in the actual proof department. Show me some non-Wikipedia/Serbiana.com/Serbian Academy of Science sources please. You have to get these facts somewhere...hopefully it is not the above mentioned sites.

They used to be around 50@ before WW2 and now they are only 5%.

If you can explain that one to me then you can say you are the ones who were etnically cleansed.
Growing in population IS NOT ethnic cleansing. 95% against 5% is ethnic cleansing done by you.
(Peggy, 19 February 2009 22:41)

Noel Malcolm, an english historian reports Serbs never surpassed 25%. And also that Kosovo was never a serbian territory. Read his work.

Albanians have ethnically cleansed Serbs as much as Serbs have cleansed albanians. But Albanians didn't have an army and a state aparatus to help them.
Now you tell me, how is a minority suppose to live in a country with such precedents. Serbia has an entire culture and historical mindset invested in anti-Albanianism and Albanians in Kosovo has established their very existence upon fighting Serbian surpression.

How odd! Albanians claim to be independent but still it's Serbias fault that Kosovo is not succeeding. I thought Albanians were not dependent on Serbia? Serbia is blocking this and that, you claim. Well, what do you expect? You stole the most sacret land to the Serbian nation and you expect sympathy? You expect normal relations? The whole of Kosovo is lost to the Serbs, for now. Serbs lost Kosovo for 500 years during the Ottoman empire but regained it eventually. As long as Serbia does not recognize Kosovo it will always belong to the Serbs, one way or the other. Besides as long as there are Serb churches and monasteries the land will forever show proof of their rightful owners.

Hello Demi,

As an ethnic Romanian who follows the events in the Balkans VERY closely, I have a few concerns after reading your posts. Well not concerns really, but questions on your historical viewpoints over the last century, because I think there lies the solution, if all the parties involved can arrive at a common understanding of what actually took place. Lets have a look at some of the thing you have mentioned.

"If Serbia can help Kosovo be an economic succes as an autonomus province of Serbia then it can also help Kosovo gain economic succes as an independent state. Kosovo leaders are more than happy to talk with belgrade officials as two independent nations. That would help the entire region to focus on EU and economic wellbeing."

What advantage would Serbia have in doing that? Is it not better for them to keep Kosovo in the current political limbo? If their goal is to hold on to Kosovo, it seems to me that they will achieve greater results by never having to fire a single shot again. Kosovo will die a slow death in the coming decades through this frozen conflict. My concern is, why keep it frozen if you are Albanian? What can you gain?

"Ang the fairytale about Kosovo has gain everything and Serbia nothing. Those tales are false. Kosovo has compromised alote while Serbia nothing."

When we look at the Albanian experience in Kosovo this century after Tito granted the province considerable autonomy and opened the floodgates to immigration, the Albanians had in Tito a great benefactor and advocate. If anything, it seems that the Yugoslav state was the one that has compromised, whereas Albanians have compromised very little.

"Kosovo serbs got the greatest right a minority can have in the whole world. Kosovo has made a flag that all nationaltis can relate to. Also the anthem is neutral. Serbian language is an official languange."

Why would the Serbs want to be a minority in another country when the only existence they have known for centuries was to be citizens of their own country? Is this not taking advantage of the Yugoslav state for all the years of goodwill toward Albanians. If you ask neighbouring countries what they feel about Yugoslavia, you will get positive answers. Why were Albanians so hostile to Yugoslavs, even when Tito gave them everything?

"If Kosovo would remain a serbian territory then Serbia would get it all. That is not fair after all trouble albanians has gone trough under serbian rule."

Can you explain WHEN you had it bad in Serbia/Yugoslavia and whether you are open to the possibility that Milosevic's policies were more a result of Albanian chauvinism and racism than Serbian nationalism. There are two sides to every coin.

"We try'ed that way under 100 years since 1913 but it diden't function. Kosovo has to be independent that's it."

Well, you didn't really try to get along with Yugoslavs (see my above comment), nor did you act as grateful citizens of Yugoslavia for everything you received, including your own province which was supported by a non-serb, in fact an anti-serb, in Tito. It seems that you would have rebelled against Gandhi himself. Let's call it for what it is. Let's agree that problems in the Balkans have more to do with nationalism, in this case extreme Albanian nationalism, which predates Milosevic or any other Serbian boogeyman.

I noticed this when Albanian communities started to rebel in Macedonia in the same way despite the fact that Macedonia was ruled by a Protestant pacifist president who is the farthest thing from a nationalist or a "milosevic." The fact is to this day, Albanians are making excessive demands on the Macedonian state and are refusing to integrate.

This does not bode well for the region or long term peace.

I call on all you Albanians to stop lying once and for all.
Stop lying about ethnic cleaninsing done by the Serbs.
If Serbs were so successful in murdering you and ethnically cleansing you then how come they seem to have ethnically cleansed themselves from Kosvo?
They used to be around 50@ before WW2 and now they are only 5%.

If you can explain that one to me then you can say you are the ones who were etnically cleansed.
Growing in population IS NOT ethnic cleansing. 95% against 5% is ethnic cleansing done by you.

Love 1244 - without it, NATO and the UN have no rights in Kosovo - and Serbia would have the right of reentry to its own land.

The ethnic cleansing that predated Milosevic was of Serbs - the Albanians did well to fool the US into doing the bombing for them to more-or-less complete the process.

its funny how the Albanians are blaming Serbia for its ills, i watched Euronews the other day and they reported many business people see Kosovo too small to invest in. It also stated that Kosovo would only succeed with Serbias help. Part of the report stated the high un employment and the fact peoples lives had not got any better.

So for all your independence you still need Serbia, the pot of money from Europe is not a bottomless pit.

Kosovo is neither independent or under the control of Belgrade. It's in limbo, once again. The so called independence of Kosovo created more problems then it managed to sulve. This should be a lesson to all those who think there can be peace by trying to satisfy on side in a conflict and ignoring the other.

For Goodness Sake, why can't we all stop this nonsense?

Now, in these times of economic uncertainty, I feel it would be very sensible for the people in Kosovo to concentrate their efforts on building up their economy and providing jobs and a future for Kosovo's young population.
Last Tuesday, the International Media LIED about the situation in Kosovo, more or less stating that Kosovo's first year of so-called 'independence' has been a success.

The bare facts are that, after one whole year, only some 27% of UN member states have recognised Kosovo's independence and this is not going to change dramatically.
KOSOVO'S ECONOMY IS IN TATTERS and it seems to me that the politicians don't care so long as they can feather their own nests.

I'd love to see the people of Kosovo install a government in Pristina that could talk honestly to the forthcoming new government in Belgrade about the furure of Kosovo and how to make it a thriving economic success as a special autonomous province of Serbia.

Therein, I feel, rests the solution for Kosovo's people.

MB,Ireland

why as a province of Serbia so in 20 years they could be murdered, ethnically cleansed again. NO as an Indipendent nation is the only way and the way IT IS and the way IT WILL BE FOREVER

Micheal, you may be a realist, but a realist with prejudices nonetheless. How convenient it is for you to tell Kosovo to focus on its economy while at the same time Serbia has been trying to impede its development for years, even opposing the EU presence who would only help build rule of law.
You have the perception of a true politician, examining things from the top-down, and not from the bottom up. The people do want to improve their lives, but at the same time they have very vivid memories of living under a Serbian state which labored in their extermination.
Why can't Kosovo become a very successful independent state? Why just a province? There lies your prejudice.

I am not sure if any of you know about this latest poll, or have seen it on B92, but according to Strategic Marketing based in Belgrade, 61% of respondents in Serbia believe that Serbia has now lost Kosovo. Only 2.5% believe that Kosovo is part of Serbia.

Micheal Breathnach


It is better for all albanians starve to death than giving Kosovo back under serbia.

Kosovo got economic problems because of Serbia trying to destabilize the territory by using the minority serbs there. If Serbia would let the people of Kosovo live free in their own land where they have been living for centurys. There is no peace with serbia and as long there is no peace there will not be any economic growth.

Kosovo can never be serbian territory again. That's just a bad dream. Serbia should insteed help Kosovo to gain economic growth by respecting the new reality. A new reality where albanians got full controll over Kosovo. Specially now when UNMIK has leaved.

Micheal Breathnach


If Serbia can help Kosovo be an economic succes as an autonomus province of Serbia then it can also help Kosovo gain economic succes as an independent state. Kosovo leaders are more than happy to talk with belgrade officials as two independent nations. That would help the entire region to focus on EU and economic wellbeing.


Ang the fairytale about Kosovo has gain everything and Serbia nothing. Those tales are false. Kosovo has compromised alote while Serbia nothing. Kosovo serbs got the greatest right a minority can have in the whole world. Kosovo has made a flag that all nationaltis can relate to. Also the anthem is neutral. Serbian language is an official languange.

If Kosovo would remain a serbian territory then Serbia would get it all. That is not fair after all trouble albanians has gone trough under serbian rule. We try'ed that way under 100 years since 1913 but it diden't function. Kosovo has to be independent that's it.

RE: Serbian Ethnic Cleansing

Serbians and Albanians lived side by side with little or no problems until 1941 when Nazi Germany invaded and dismembered Yugoslavia & used Albanian extremists in Kosovo against the Kosovo population.

The same policy continued under Tito who continued to appease the extremist Albanian(s) within the Communist Party granting them an autonomous province in 1974.

Up until the present moment, the Kosovo Serbs have been forced to leave Kosovo by blackmail, intimidation and brute force culiminating in NATO's bombing in 1999.

If words don't matter, than numbers do, what remains of Serbs in Kosovo is less than 5% of the population and the UCK/KLA proxies would like to see them go also.

The true Butcher of the Balkans, Croatian Ustase Nazi leader Ante Pavelic managed to exterminate and or cleanse a pre-war Serb population of 30% down to 12%, Franjo Tudjman managed to lower down to less than 3% with the support of it's US proxies. The UCK/KLA terrorists Ceku along with Thaci have done virtually the same in Kosovo.

How odd! Albanians claim to be independent but still it's Serbias fault that Kosovo is not succeeding. I thought Albanians were not dependent on Serbia? Serbia is blocking this and that, you claim. Well, what do you expect? You stole the most sacret land to the Serbian nation and you expect sympathy? You expect normal relations? The whole of Kosovo is lost to the Serbs, for now. Serbs lost Kosovo for 500 years during the Ottoman empire but regained it eventually. As long as Serbia does not recognize Kosovo it will always belong to the Serbs, one way or the other. Besides as long as there are Serb churches and monasteries the land will forever show proof of their rightful owners.

Hello Demi,

As an ethnic Romanian who follows the events in the Balkans VERY closely, I have a few concerns after reading your posts. Well not concerns really, but questions on your historical viewpoints over the last century, because I think there lies the solution, if all the parties involved can arrive at a common understanding of what actually took place. Lets have a look at some of the thing you have mentioned.

"If Serbia can help Kosovo be an economic succes as an autonomus province of Serbia then it can also help Kosovo gain economic succes as an independent state. Kosovo leaders are more than happy to talk with belgrade officials as two independent nations. That would help the entire region to focus on EU and economic wellbeing."

What advantage would Serbia have in doing that? Is it not better for them to keep Kosovo in the current political limbo? If their goal is to hold on to Kosovo, it seems to me that they will achieve greater results by never having to fire a single shot again. Kosovo will die a slow death in the coming decades through this frozen conflict. My concern is, why keep it frozen if you are Albanian? What can you gain?

"Ang the fairytale about Kosovo has gain everything and Serbia nothing. Those tales are false. Kosovo has compromised alote while Serbia nothing."

When we look at the Albanian experience in Kosovo this century after Tito granted the province considerable autonomy and opened the floodgates to immigration, the Albanians had in Tito a great benefactor and advocate. If anything, it seems that the Yugoslav state was the one that has compromised, whereas Albanians have compromised very little.

"Kosovo serbs got the greatest right a minority can have in the whole world. Kosovo has made a flag that all nationaltis can relate to. Also the anthem is neutral. Serbian language is an official languange."

Why would the Serbs want to be a minority in another country when the only existence they have known for centuries was to be citizens of their own country? Is this not taking advantage of the Yugoslav state for all the years of goodwill toward Albanians. If you ask neighbouring countries what they feel about Yugoslavia, you will get positive answers. Why were Albanians so hostile to Yugoslavs, even when Tito gave them everything?

"If Kosovo would remain a serbian territory then Serbia would get it all. That is not fair after all trouble albanians has gone trough under serbian rule."

Can you explain WHEN you had it bad in Serbia/Yugoslavia and whether you are open to the possibility that Milosevic's policies were more a result of Albanian chauvinism and racism than Serbian nationalism. There are two sides to every coin.

"We try'ed that way under 100 years since 1913 but it diden't function. Kosovo has to be independent that's it."

Well, you didn't really try to get along with Yugoslavs (see my above comment), nor did you act as grateful citizens of Yugoslavia for everything you received, including your own province which was supported by a non-serb, in fact an anti-serb, in Tito. It seems that you would have rebelled against Gandhi himself. Let's call it for what it is. Let's agree that problems in the Balkans have more to do with nationalism, in this case extreme Albanian nationalism, which predates Milosevic or any other Serbian boogeyman.

I noticed this when Albanian communities started to rebel in Macedonia in the same way despite the fact that Macedonia was ruled by a Protestant pacifist president who is the farthest thing from a nationalist or a "milosevic." The fact is to this day, Albanians are making excessive demands on the Macedonian state and are refusing to integrate.

This does not bode well for the region or long term peace.

I call on all you Albanians to stop lying once and for all.
Stop lying about ethnic cleaninsing done by the Serbs.
If Serbs were so successful in murdering you and ethnically cleansing you then how come they seem to have ethnically cleansed themselves from Kosvo?
They used to be around 50@ before WW2 and now they are only 5%.

If you can explain that one to me then you can say you are the ones who were etnically cleansed.
Growing in population IS NOT ethnic cleansing. 95% against 5% is ethnic cleansing done by you.

Love 1244 - without it, NATO and the UN have no rights in Kosovo - and Serbia would have the right of reentry to its own land.

The ethnic cleansing that predated Milosevic was of Serbs - the Albanians did well to fool the US into doing the bombing for them to more-or-less complete the process.

its funny how the Albanians are blaming Serbia for its ills, i watched Euronews the other day and they reported many business people see Kosovo too small to invest in. It also stated that Kosovo would only succeed with Serbias help. Part of the report stated the high un employment and the fact peoples lives had not got any better.

So for all your independence you still need Serbia, the pot of money from Europe is not a bottomless pit.

Peggy

You always make these breathtakingly sophisticated arguments regarding Albanians, but always seem to be lacking in the actual proof department. Show me some non-Wikipedia/Serbiana.com/Serbian Academy of Science sources please. You have to get these facts somewhere...hopefully it is not the above mentioned sites.

They used to be around 50@ before WW2 and now they are only 5%.

If you can explain that one to me then you can say you are the ones who were etnically cleansed.
Growing in population IS NOT ethnic cleansing. 95% against 5% is ethnic cleansing done by you.
(Peggy, 19 February 2009 22:41)

Noel Malcolm, an english historian reports Serbs never surpassed 25%. And also that Kosovo was never a serbian territory. Read his work.

Albanians have ethnically cleansed Serbs as much as Serbs have cleansed albanians. But Albanians didn't have an army and a state aparatus to help them.
Now you tell me, how is a minority suppose to live in a country with such precedents. Serbia has an entire culture and historical mindset invested in anti-Albanianism and Albanians in Kosovo has established their very existence upon fighting Serbian surpression.