Serbian passports for Albanians—no problem

Like the US can issue passports to citizens of California, Serbia can issue passports to the citizens of Kosovo.

Again: KOSOVO IS JUST A SERBIAN PROVINCE.

Nothing more, nothing less!

miri:

albans are applying for Serbian passports because soon the country will be on the "white list."

So basically, you recognize Serbia only when it suits you, but no surprise there...

master:
> Don't forget that about 90% Kosovars who live in USA, Germany, France, UK etc have two passports.

By applying for a serbian passport, K-albanian's are re-affirming that they are still citizens of Serbia - which makes a mockery of any claims of independence coming from the pseudo-state.

The germans don't regard the US as a german province (although am not sure about the converse).

But Serbia does regard Kosovo as such - which is another point which will not be lost on the ICJ.

You cannot at once be an 'existing citizen' of Serbia & at the same time claim to be a citizen of the new so-called 'republic of Kosovo' - at least without lying to yourself oh 'master'.

miri and Amantia

Because every single country in the world recognizes the Serbian passport, while the majority of the world's states would look at a Kosovo passport and think that it is some kind of joke, laugh and send you back on the next plane.

What has a Serb passport got to offer anyway?
miri

Well miri, you should ask that question to all those albanians applying for a serbian passport.

Heck, I'm Albanian and I want a Serb passport too. Why not? It doesn't make a Serb, it only makes me travel easier. In other words, Albanians are still using and abusing Serbia to get what they want :)

As long as you spent time to conclude and lie your self that if any Kosovar will take sovereignty of it. Don't forget that about 90% Kosovars who live in USA, Germany, France, UK etc have two passports.

nor do we Albanians oppose it,
the only problem is that after some years serbia may complain of why did they give us passports :)

right?

And another fact is, who the hell want a serb pass?

Exactly, what has a Serb passport got to offer anyway?
(miri, 22 April 2009 16:07)

Apparently, it offers a visa-free travel to Dubrovnik, Split, etc.
An idea which surely some K-Albanians will consider. I know you can go to Albania and I am not sure about FYROM.

Everyone does hope about Schengen "white list" by end of this year but I will believe if I see it.

What already does benefit: unlike your passport which is a trouble in itself, with Serbian passport you do not need Belarus and/or Russian visa.

Before laughing "why do I need to travel to Belarus or Russia" please look at the map. There is a city called Königsberg (former East Prussia). Now, that city is being called "Kaliningrad" and the "P" in "Prussia" is lost. It's a little enclave between Poland and Lithuania, belonging to Russian Federation.

That means, all a holder of Serbian passport has to show to Hungarian, Slovak and Polish consulate to get Schengen double-visa is a Belgrade-Kaliningrad round-trip train ticket. The entire round-trip does cost 163.20 + 11.20 = 174.40 Euro. This is what you need to "invest" in order to receive no-question multiple Schengen.

For Belarus it's even less: 155.80 + 6.80 = 162.60 Euro r/t till Brest-C. But I wrote Königsberg/Kaliningrad because with all due respect to defenders of Brest Fortress, Königsberg is more attractive for tourists - and of course no one will prevent you to visit Austria, Germany, etc-etc-etc while on route to now-Russian Königsberg.

Also you can of course return these tickets back to Serbian Railways with 10% penalty - but you will need to go anyway, it will be just a bit less to buy the same in, say, Slovakia later on.

http://tinyurl.com/dl7hrp

http://tinyurl.com/ck62de

You can visit close-by Marienburg (Malbork) which is in Poland - famous residence of Teutonic Knights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork

This is not a tourist forum, but you have the idea. And don't forget, the multiple Schengen in question will allow you to go everywhere... only restriction is, you need to visit Königsberg during your travels and not overstay anywhere.

All this is pretty simple with Serbian passport even now, them NOT being in Schengen because paradox way the Russian and Belarus visa-free travel does open the Schengen.

Besides of "true" Serbs only "true" Kosovars can do this trick - and just because they can apply for Serbian passport. It obviously won't work with, say, Nigerian passport.

Heck, I'm Albanian and I want a Serb passport too. Why not? It doesn't make a Serb, it only makes me travel easier. In other words, Albanians are still using and abusing Serbia to get what they want :)
(tom, 22 April 2009 23:12)

That is fine as long as Serbia will recognize you as Serbian citizen. So you have to provide certain paperwork. Newcomers from Albania after 1999 are not eligible, neither Albanians in Albania or somewhere else. It's not the passport, what makes you a citizen of a country - it's the law of that country. Passport is only a PROOF of the citizenship, not DECIDING about the citizenship.

Obviously, every (ex)YU citizen who is living in Kosovo and their descendants are Serbian citizens, do they have the passport or not.

If a country regards you as their citizen and they have a law that every citizen has to sacrifice his middle finger to some Voodoo deity, you better never travel to such country, do you have their passport or not!

Hence there is nothing about "using" or "abusing". Having a Serbian passport does not mean, you are obligated to 100% agree with what is being said in Belgrade. As you should notice, Serbia is not North Korea. Heck, even politicians do not agree with each other. If you support the idea that Albanians should not obey orders from Belgrade it's up to you.

An other little thing - of course a Serbian passport won't make you ethnic Slav, but any citizenship is a potential burden regarding two things:

- taxes from income worldwide
- military service

And again, this is regardless do you have passport as a proof of your citizenship or not.

As far as I know, Serbia is not much to worry about.

First, no visa deal unless Serbia stops giving passports to territory it doesn't control (Kosova). Just watch.
(Alban, 22 April 2009 18:28)

Incorrect. With Königsberg-destination and a Serbian passport you can get the much-desired multi-Schengen even now almost instantly, even in Pristina. Not much will change except you won't need to go extra to Hungarian, Czech or Polish consulate in PS ( + Slovak in BG) to get that multi-Schengen and pay them 35 Euro in the future.

The only caveat I see: if you say, you are Shamil Salmanovic Basayev

http://tinyurl.com/cvrxhl

you probably won't get multiple Schengen visa.

But with that picture in passport I probably won't dare to travel around Belgrade or Königsberg to much, with or without Schengen or Russian visa.

"Normal" people ( = not Shamil Salmanovic B.) are already fine, the only issue till "white Schengen" are 5 mandatory days to wait + 35 Euro + pain in the rear to lose a day with any of above consulate.

And another fact is, who the hell want a serb pass?
(Amantia, 22 April 2009 14:34)

Exactly, what has a Serb passport got to offer anyway?

The article says 1200 Albanians from Kosovo and South Serbia have received passports.

Here is probably the breakdown of that:

0 Kosovar Albanians
1200 South Serbia Albanians (it's their only option)

The only way Kosovars can enter Serbia is by having a Serbian passport, 1200 would make the number of guys working for transport. Case solved, good luck at ICJ, you'll need it.

First, no visa deal unless Serbia stops giving passports to territory it doesn't control (Kosova). Just watch.

Second, it's a passport to travel.

I have two passports - None Serbian. What's the big news here?

Ok ladies and gents:

I have Serbian passport and I am 100% Albanian from Kosovo. I travel to countries that do not accept Kosovo. SO am I a Serbian.

Serbia by law does give dual citizenship and so I am allowed to have it. I do not live in either country I left way before 1996. I have a very high profile job and soon will get my adopted countries citizenship till that day I will travel with Serbian passport.

Call me what u like both sides maybe hate me. I have no issue with this, I am just a normal citizen who wants to earn a living.

So am I using Serbia its up to you but while you are arguing here I make my six figures and live at peace. Oh and I speak both languages perfectly no issues at all.

Peace from …..

"That is fine as long as Serbia will recognize you as Serbian citizen. So you have to provide certain paperwork. Newcomers from Albania after 1999 are not eligible, neither Albanians in Albania or somewhere else. It's not the passport, what makes you a citizen of a country - it's the law of that country. Passport is only a PROOF of the citizenship, not DECIDING about the citizenship."



If Serbia is just handing out their passports, we'll take em. If it's required that we have to Serb citizens and call ourselves Serbs, no thanks.

The Albanians that took them were mostly likely Serbian-Albanians living in the Preshevo Valley.

"Newcomers from Albania after 1999 are not eligible"

What newcomers? Why did those Albanians from Albania go to Kosova in 1999? Tell us please

If Serbia is just handing out their passports, we'll take em. If it's required that we have to Serb citizens and call ourselves Serbs, no thanks. 

The Albanians that took them were mostly likely Serbian-Albanians living in the Preshevo Valley.

(tom, 23 April 2009 02:04)

- They handling out the passports for a nominal fee
- Nothing is required because Serbian citizenship is not passport-dependent. It is expected, Albanians will call themself Albanians. Serbian citizenship is a feature most Kosovars were essentially born with, like having five fingers. You do not need to use your middle finger at any occasion (and certainly not to show it to other drivers while driving) - but it is there. So is Serbian citizenship.

------------------



What newcomers? Why did those Albanians from Albania go to Kosova in 1999? Tell us please

(Albania, 23 April 2009 07:17)

Who came for whatever reason after 1999 and had no YU citizenship before. There could be million reasons and these are all irrelevant, except one: marriage to a YU citizen.

------------------



I have two passports - None Serbian. What's the big news here?

(Bes, 23 April 2009 14:22)

Depending, which passport. If you have one Nigerian and one from Benin: a temporary Kosovo Refugee passport issued in Pristina and a room without water in the near of Chernobilic is already a "big news".

If you have one American, one Russian and one Irish + one house in Silicon Valley, one in Peredelkino and one in Budva - there are no big news for you. Probably the only place in the world you cannot travel freely would be Saudi Arabia and can't watch public beheadings on Fridays. What a big loss... So far most people could manage it.

To Ataman:

Good job on marketing that passport, but you are missing the point.

The Serbian passaport is the last in the long list that K-Albanians would like to have in their pocket. 2/3 of K-Albanians have dual citizienship in Europe and US, thanks to Milosevic efforts to cleans the area from K-Albanians for 2 decades. The truth is that Serbia hardly can swallow to call K-Albanians Serb citizens, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Whatever the intention is, it's a lame effort to turn the wheel of history backward, and history changed on Feb 17 last year. As for Kalinigrad, it's a lousy place to visit.

congratulations to "atm" the ethnic Albanian from southern Serbia who got the serbian passport - for being so smart.

I wish him only the best.

as for miri:

being a serbian citizen doesn´t mean to abandon albanian ethnicity, even if that is oh so important for you personally, but ... all that fuzz about nothing...

you make me smile, as usual.

ps: Kaliningrad/Konigsberg has more to offer to international visitors than Priština has, so I would be careful with my remarks about which one is a lousy place to stay...

:)

2/3 of K-Albanians have dual citizienship in Europe and US, thanks to Milosevic efforts to cleans the area from K-Albanians for 2 decades.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

Miri,

The numbers do not add for several reasons:

1) Milosevic begun his "activity" in earnest around 88-89 or so. It ended for Kosovo in 1999. That means, it was one tough decade, not two.

Given that it takes 3-4 years to get "Asylantrag" approved (BTW: you know precisely German practice and what is the approval rate, right?) and atop of it an other 7 years at least to get the citizenship.

Before 1998 the chances to get Asyl ware near zero. Now we are talking about the IDEAL timeframe to get the citizenship! Most people who were given Asyl in 1998-2000 do not have the EU citizenship yet.

U.S. citizenship is shorter - and of course the Canadian and Australian is the shortest.

It just cannot be, 2/3 of Kosovo are Americans, Canadians, Australians...

2) The usual psychology of refugees is: "we suffered so much, we are fed up with all the miserable life there, we start a new life in new country". These people do not want to return yet, maybe if things are better and they are close to retirement.

3) If the majority of K-Albanians in Kosovo does have West European or North American citizenship - why is the jobless rate so high in Kosovo? We can assume, a jobless life in Kosovo is less attractive than living in USA or Germany.

4) An area with "Western" citizens being the majority has different price structure than Kosovo - which is the cheapest area on Balkan peninsula, even less expensive than Albania.

I think, you just wanted to impress with the 66% number, but it is very unrealistic.

--------------

The truth is that Serbia hardly can swallow to call K-Albanians Serb citizens
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

I don't see K-Albanians being different that ones living in Belgrade. Not sure what you mean "hardly can swallow". They are who they are.

--------------

but desperate times call for desperate measures.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

The only desperate right now is the economy in the entire area. I did not observe much "desperation", I would say, it's more in Hungary right now because of permanent crisis in the politics and lack of calm, conservative, fiscally responsible MAJOR political party. But even that "desperation" is not somewhat extreme. Been in BG, BP lately?

--------------

Whatever the intention is, it's a lame effort to turn the wheel of history backward
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

Whose intention? Of Serbian government regarding the passports? There is none. They just apply the law and allow to get that paperwork. If they wouldn't - would you curse them for not doing it, like:

"damn if you do and damn if you don't"?

If you mean my writing - I am not passport lawyer, I had no intention to turn anything anywhere. If in doubt, consult with citizenship attorney.

--------------

and history changed on Feb 17 last year.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

We will know more if things around that Feb 17 will be de-classified. That will take several decades. You cannot say "history" for things barely a year old.

--------------

As for Kalinigrad, it's a lousy place to visit.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

Not the most touristy in RU, but it has a decent gothic brick cathedral as you see. Many things should be in better shape, but it's not "lousy". You missed in my writing the Marlbork. Besides, it has German history, not Russian. Why anything German will become "lousy" once in Russia? I cannot understand it. You do not want, than just don't go there, apply for Schengen visa the way you like (if you need it).

By the way, Königsberg is famous for it's seven bridges - a famous graph theory problem solved by Euler. Some say, it was the begin of topology.

If anyone did study that stuff it's pretty funny to walk these bridges.

http://tinyurl.com/dk23lo

--------------

Call me what u like both sides maybe hate me.
(atm, 23 April 2009 18:56)

I call you "somebody with a reasonable approach and without ethnic bias" and wish you best luck.

--------------

ps: Kaliningrad/Konigsberg has more to offer to international visitors than Priština has
(Jovan, 24 April 2009 00:34)

I cannot say that. True, Priština has no reference in graph theory but there is Gracanica nearby. IMO, Gracanica is more important than the cathedral of Königsberg. But save that, Königsberg is better.

To the Serb posters,

Do not get ahead of yourselves. B92 at least had the decency to end the article by quoting a Ministry of Interior official saying the 1200 passports were issued to Albanians in southern Serbia and there was little interest (translate as no interest) from Kosovo Albanians. End of story.

Like the US can issue passports to citizens of California, Serbia can issue passports to the citizens of Kosovo.

Again: KOSOVO IS JUST A SERBIAN PROVINCE.

Nothing more, nothing less!

nor do we Albanians oppose it,
the only problem is that after some years serbia may complain of why did they give us passports :)

right?

And another fact is, who the hell want a serb pass?

And another fact is, who the hell want a serb pass?
(Amantia, 22 April 2009 14:34)

Exactly, what has a Serb passport got to offer anyway?

First, no visa deal unless Serbia stops giving passports to territory it doesn't control (Kosova). Just watch.

Second, it's a passport to travel.

The article says 1200 Albanians from Kosovo and South Serbia have received passports.

Here is probably the breakdown of that:

0 Kosovar Albanians
1200 South Serbia Albanians (it's their only option)

As long as you spent time to conclude and lie your self that if any Kosovar will take sovereignty of it. Don't forget that about 90% Kosovars who live in USA, Germany, France, UK etc have two passports.

The only way Kosovars can enter Serbia is by having a Serbian passport, 1200 would make the number of guys working for transport. Case solved, good luck at ICJ, you'll need it.

master:
> Don't forget that about 90% Kosovars who live in USA, Germany, France, UK etc have two passports.

By applying for a serbian passport, K-albanian's are re-affirming that they are still citizens of Serbia - which makes a mockery of any claims of independence coming from the pseudo-state.

The germans don't regard the US as a german province (although am not sure about the converse).

But Serbia does regard Kosovo as such - which is another point which will not be lost on the ICJ.

You cannot at once be an 'existing citizen' of Serbia & at the same time claim to be a citizen of the new so-called 'republic of Kosovo' - at least without lying to yourself oh 'master'.

miri and Amantia

Because every single country in the world recognizes the Serbian passport, while the majority of the world's states would look at a Kosovo passport and think that it is some kind of joke, laugh and send you back on the next plane.

miri:

albans are applying for Serbian passports because soon the country will be on the "white list."

So basically, you recognize Serbia only when it suits you, but no surprise there...

What has a Serb passport got to offer anyway?
miri

Well miri, you should ask that question to all those albanians applying for a serbian passport.

Heck, I'm Albanian and I want a Serb passport too. Why not? It doesn't make a Serb, it only makes me travel easier. In other words, Albanians are still using and abusing Serbia to get what they want :)

"Newcomers from Albania after 1999 are not eligible"

What newcomers? Why did those Albanians from Albania go to Kosova in 1999? Tell us please

I have two passports - None Serbian. What's the big news here?

"That is fine as long as Serbia will recognize you as Serbian citizen. So you have to provide certain paperwork. Newcomers from Albania after 1999 are not eligible, neither Albanians in Albania or somewhere else. It's not the passport, what makes you a citizen of a country - it's the law of that country. Passport is only a PROOF of the citizenship, not DECIDING about the citizenship."



If Serbia is just handing out their passports, we'll take em. If it's required that we have to Serb citizens and call ourselves Serbs, no thanks.

The Albanians that took them were mostly likely Serbian-Albanians living in the Preshevo Valley.

Exactly, what has a Serb passport got to offer anyway?
(miri, 22 April 2009 16:07)

Apparently, it offers a visa-free travel to Dubrovnik, Split, etc.
An idea which surely some K-Albanians will consider. I know you can go to Albania and I am not sure about FYROM.

Everyone does hope about Schengen "white list" by end of this year but I will believe if I see it.

What already does benefit: unlike your passport which is a trouble in itself, with Serbian passport you do not need Belarus and/or Russian visa.

Before laughing "why do I need to travel to Belarus or Russia" please look at the map. There is a city called Königsberg (former East Prussia). Now, that city is being called "Kaliningrad" and the "P" in "Prussia" is lost. It's a little enclave between Poland and Lithuania, belonging to Russian Federation.

That means, all a holder of Serbian passport has to show to Hungarian, Slovak and Polish consulate to get Schengen double-visa is a Belgrade-Kaliningrad round-trip train ticket. The entire round-trip does cost 163.20 + 11.20 = 174.40 Euro. This is what you need to "invest" in order to receive no-question multiple Schengen.

For Belarus it's even less: 155.80 + 6.80 = 162.60 Euro r/t till Brest-C. But I wrote Königsberg/Kaliningrad because with all due respect to defenders of Brest Fortress, Königsberg is more attractive for tourists - and of course no one will prevent you to visit Austria, Germany, etc-etc-etc while on route to now-Russian Königsberg.

Also you can of course return these tickets back to Serbian Railways with 10% penalty - but you will need to go anyway, it will be just a bit less to buy the same in, say, Slovakia later on.

http://tinyurl.com/dl7hrp

http://tinyurl.com/ck62de

You can visit close-by Marienburg (Malbork) which is in Poland - famous residence of Teutonic Knights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork

This is not a tourist forum, but you have the idea. And don't forget, the multiple Schengen in question will allow you to go everywhere... only restriction is, you need to visit Königsberg during your travels and not overstay anywhere.

All this is pretty simple with Serbian passport even now, them NOT being in Schengen because paradox way the Russian and Belarus visa-free travel does open the Schengen.

Besides of "true" Serbs only "true" Kosovars can do this trick - and just because they can apply for Serbian passport. It obviously won't work with, say, Nigerian passport.

To Ataman:

Good job on marketing that passport, but you are missing the point.

The Serbian passaport is the last in the long list that K-Albanians would like to have in their pocket. 2/3 of K-Albanians have dual citizienship in Europe and US, thanks to Milosevic efforts to cleans the area from K-Albanians for 2 decades. The truth is that Serbia hardly can swallow to call K-Albanians Serb citizens, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Whatever the intention is, it's a lame effort to turn the wheel of history backward, and history changed on Feb 17 last year. As for Kalinigrad, it's a lousy place to visit.

To the Serb posters,

Do not get ahead of yourselves. B92 at least had the decency to end the article by quoting a Ministry of Interior official saying the 1200 passports were issued to Albanians in southern Serbia and there was little interest (translate as no interest) from Kosovo Albanians. End of story.

Heck, I'm Albanian and I want a Serb passport too. Why not? It doesn't make a Serb, it only makes me travel easier. In other words, Albanians are still using and abusing Serbia to get what they want :)
(tom, 22 April 2009 23:12)

That is fine as long as Serbia will recognize you as Serbian citizen. So you have to provide certain paperwork. Newcomers from Albania after 1999 are not eligible, neither Albanians in Albania or somewhere else. It's not the passport, what makes you a citizen of a country - it's the law of that country. Passport is only a PROOF of the citizenship, not DECIDING about the citizenship.

Obviously, every (ex)YU citizen who is living in Kosovo and their descendants are Serbian citizens, do they have the passport or not.

If a country regards you as their citizen and they have a law that every citizen has to sacrifice his middle finger to some Voodoo deity, you better never travel to such country, do you have their passport or not!

Hence there is nothing about "using" or "abusing". Having a Serbian passport does not mean, you are obligated to 100% agree with what is being said in Belgrade. As you should notice, Serbia is not North Korea. Heck, even politicians do not agree with each other. If you support the idea that Albanians should not obey orders from Belgrade it's up to you.

An other little thing - of course a Serbian passport won't make you ethnic Slav, but any citizenship is a potential burden regarding two things:

- taxes from income worldwide
- military service

And again, this is regardless do you have passport as a proof of your citizenship or not.

As far as I know, Serbia is not much to worry about.

Ok ladies and gents:

I have Serbian passport and I am 100% Albanian from Kosovo. I travel to countries that do not accept Kosovo. SO am I a Serbian.

Serbia by law does give dual citizenship and so I am allowed to have it. I do not live in either country I left way before 1996. I have a very high profile job and soon will get my adopted countries citizenship till that day I will travel with Serbian passport.

Call me what u like both sides maybe hate me. I have no issue with this, I am just a normal citizen who wants to earn a living.

So am I using Serbia its up to you but while you are arguing here I make my six figures and live at peace. Oh and I speak both languages perfectly no issues at all.

Peace from …..

If Serbia is just handing out their passports, we'll take em. If it's required that we have to Serb citizens and call ourselves Serbs, no thanks. 

The Albanians that took them were mostly likely Serbian-Albanians living in the Preshevo Valley.

(tom, 23 April 2009 02:04)

- They handling out the passports for a nominal fee
- Nothing is required because Serbian citizenship is not passport-dependent. It is expected, Albanians will call themself Albanians. Serbian citizenship is a feature most Kosovars were essentially born with, like having five fingers. You do not need to use your middle finger at any occasion (and certainly not to show it to other drivers while driving) - but it is there. So is Serbian citizenship.

------------------



What newcomers? Why did those Albanians from Albania go to Kosova in 1999? Tell us please

(Albania, 23 April 2009 07:17)

Who came for whatever reason after 1999 and had no YU citizenship before. There could be million reasons and these are all irrelevant, except one: marriage to a YU citizen.

------------------



I have two passports - None Serbian. What's the big news here?

(Bes, 23 April 2009 14:22)

Depending, which passport. If you have one Nigerian and one from Benin: a temporary Kosovo Refugee passport issued in Pristina and a room without water in the near of Chernobilic is already a "big news".

If you have one American, one Russian and one Irish + one house in Silicon Valley, one in Peredelkino and one in Budva - there are no big news for you. Probably the only place in the world you cannot travel freely would be Saudi Arabia and can't watch public beheadings on Fridays. What a big loss... So far most people could manage it.

congratulations to "atm" the ethnic Albanian from southern Serbia who got the serbian passport - for being so smart.

I wish him only the best.

as for miri:

being a serbian citizen doesn´t mean to abandon albanian ethnicity, even if that is oh so important for you personally, but ... all that fuzz about nothing...

you make me smile, as usual.

ps: Kaliningrad/Konigsberg has more to offer to international visitors than Priština has, so I would be careful with my remarks about which one is a lousy place to stay...

:)

First, no visa deal unless Serbia stops giving passports to territory it doesn't control (Kosova). Just watch.
(Alban, 22 April 2009 18:28)

Incorrect. With Königsberg-destination and a Serbian passport you can get the much-desired multi-Schengen even now almost instantly, even in Pristina. Not much will change except you won't need to go extra to Hungarian, Czech or Polish consulate in PS ( + Slovak in BG) to get that multi-Schengen and pay them 35 Euro in the future.

The only caveat I see: if you say, you are Shamil Salmanovic Basayev

http://tinyurl.com/cvrxhl

you probably won't get multiple Schengen visa.

But with that picture in passport I probably won't dare to travel around Belgrade or Königsberg to much, with or without Schengen or Russian visa.

"Normal" people ( = not Shamil Salmanovic B.) are already fine, the only issue till "white Schengen" are 5 mandatory days to wait + 35 Euro + pain in the rear to lose a day with any of above consulate.

2/3 of K-Albanians have dual citizienship in Europe and US, thanks to Milosevic efforts to cleans the area from K-Albanians for 2 decades.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

Miri,

The numbers do not add for several reasons:

1) Milosevic begun his "activity" in earnest around 88-89 or so. It ended for Kosovo in 1999. That means, it was one tough decade, not two.

Given that it takes 3-4 years to get "Asylantrag" approved (BTW: you know precisely German practice and what is the approval rate, right?) and atop of it an other 7 years at least to get the citizenship.

Before 1998 the chances to get Asyl ware near zero. Now we are talking about the IDEAL timeframe to get the citizenship! Most people who were given Asyl in 1998-2000 do not have the EU citizenship yet.

U.S. citizenship is shorter - and of course the Canadian and Australian is the shortest.

It just cannot be, 2/3 of Kosovo are Americans, Canadians, Australians...

2) The usual psychology of refugees is: "we suffered so much, we are fed up with all the miserable life there, we start a new life in new country". These people do not want to return yet, maybe if things are better and they are close to retirement.

3) If the majority of K-Albanians in Kosovo does have West European or North American citizenship - why is the jobless rate so high in Kosovo? We can assume, a jobless life in Kosovo is less attractive than living in USA or Germany.

4) An area with "Western" citizens being the majority has different price structure than Kosovo - which is the cheapest area on Balkan peninsula, even less expensive than Albania.

I think, you just wanted to impress with the 66% number, but it is very unrealistic.

--------------

The truth is that Serbia hardly can swallow to call K-Albanians Serb citizens
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

I don't see K-Albanians being different that ones living in Belgrade. Not sure what you mean "hardly can swallow". They are who they are.

--------------

but desperate times call for desperate measures.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

The only desperate right now is the economy in the entire area. I did not observe much "desperation", I would say, it's more in Hungary right now because of permanent crisis in the politics and lack of calm, conservative, fiscally responsible MAJOR political party. But even that "desperation" is not somewhat extreme. Been in BG, BP lately?

--------------

Whatever the intention is, it's a lame effort to turn the wheel of history backward
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

Whose intention? Of Serbian government regarding the passports? There is none. They just apply the law and allow to get that paperwork. If they wouldn't - would you curse them for not doing it, like:

"damn if you do and damn if you don't"?

If you mean my writing - I am not passport lawyer, I had no intention to turn anything anywhere. If in doubt, consult with citizenship attorney.

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and history changed on Feb 17 last year.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

We will know more if things around that Feb 17 will be de-classified. That will take several decades. You cannot say "history" for things barely a year old.

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As for Kalinigrad, it's a lousy place to visit.
(miri, 23 April 2009 20:12)

Not the most touristy in RU, but it has a decent gothic brick cathedral as you see. Many things should be in better shape, but it's not "lousy". You missed in my writing the Marlbork. Besides, it has German history, not Russian. Why anything German will become "lousy" once in Russia? I cannot understand it. You do not want, than just don't go there, apply for Schengen visa the way you like (if you need it).

By the way, Königsberg is famous for it's seven bridges - a famous graph theory problem solved by Euler. Some say, it was the begin of topology.

If anyone did study that stuff it's pretty funny to walk these bridges.

http://tinyurl.com/dk23lo

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Call me what u like both sides maybe hate me.
(atm, 23 April 2009 18:56)

I call you "somebody with a reasonable approach and without ethnic bias" and wish you best luck.

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ps: Kaliningrad/Konigsberg has more to offer to international visitors than Priština has
(Jovan, 24 April 2009 00:34)

I cannot say that. True, Priština has no reference in graph theory but there is Gracanica nearby. IMO, Gracanica is more important than the cathedral of Königsberg. But save that, Königsberg is better.