Kosovo govt. reacts to HRW appeal

To our Southern Serbian citizens (mainly of Albanian ethnicity), please leave Jeta Xharra alone and allow her to reveal some of the more unpleasant side of your position.

Isn't it good that she has exposed some of your "politicians" having unpaid electricity bills amounting to €5,000? This is shameful considering their stance against Serbians with unpaid bills.

Isn't she a realist when she prefers to have the rule of law established before resolving the status issue? Kosovo is not independent and she knows the truth.

Please leave her alone!

Oh, and another thing, NATO is cutting 4000 troops from our province. Check http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8094430.stm Looks like the true reality is beginning to bite. Funding for misguided missions is running thin so you'll need to prepare for lasting and peaceful negotiations based on more than autonomy, less than independence while the window of opportunity is still open.

"she was “the biggest post-war enemy of Kosovo” and a “Serbian agent.”

They are after her because she speaks the truth. If they can do this to an Albanian imaging how free and safe the Serbs feel.

This is a disgrace, Jeta has been accused of all kinds of things and even received a death threat in Infopres.

Everybody who believes in freedom of the media should condemn this but I don't believe Kosovo authorities comittment to a free press. Most Kosovo politicians are afraid of the growth of investigative journalism and this was an attempt to step on the toes of IWPR - which is currently leading the charge of the free media in Kosovo.

For me it doesn't matter that Kosovo Albanian society is in some way 'segregated' from Serbia. Serbian NGO's, independent media and all free thinkers must lend support to Kosovo independent journalism, as Kosovo non governmental institutions are simply not developed enough. At the same time its important not to give enemies of free press in Kosovo 'evidence' that independent journalists in Kosovo are working for Serbia, so some caution is needed.

I should add that this 'development' and many more incidents like this besides are inevitable; the independence issue has been milked by Kosovo politicians as a means of diverting public attention away from their activities.

Kosovo Albanian society is slowly waking up to this fact, but there is very strong resistence from powerful men in the background.

All I can say to Albanians is don't let them fool you that this is a matter of patriotism. This is a matter of control and if you don't stand up they will control you.

This Kosovo government statement sounds like it was written by an American lawyer. Whenever, people want to put their best foot forward, especially when they are in trouble they hire a lawyer. No doubt this was written by an American too, a clear indication who's protecting Kosovo's interests, even when one of Kosovo's own is under threat from Kosovo's own.

Some of the headlines and content coming from Infopress.

"Jeta Xharra is an Agent of the Serbian Secret Police"
"Jeta has brought it upon herself to have a short life"
"Get those Serbian-employed spies and free speech terrorists off the air! Traitors! Off with their heads!"

Is it not right for Jeta to question the legality and morality of mayor Sami Lushtaku remaining in office while serving a prison sentence for assaulting a judge?

Her finances are coming from the same Western friends you continually brag about. Is it that difficult to accept the rule of law?

Our Southern Serbian citizens need to face up to some ugly aspects of their own culture. You cannot constantly threaten people you don't like or who reveal the truth of matters.

"The Kosovo government says it condemns all “isolated cases of violations of free speech,”"

I do believe that Thaci finds "ISOLATED cases" extremely ineffective.

"Speaking of violations of freedom of expression..."

To violate freedoms you should have at the least something like society, what you don't have. By voicing such staff, you try to create an impression that Kosovo is like other societies with their problems. But in fact Kosovo is nothing but a mafia-ridden province.

Death threats should be condemned by all the institutions of Kosovo, but I hope Jeta agrees with me that freedom of speech is not just when she criticize government, but also when someone else like Inforpress criticizes Jeta Xharra.
I have read all the articles published by Inforpress on this issue and I admit that most of them were tendentious but some of them raised some very interesting issues that Jeta does not want to talk about.
E.g. Jeta Xharra requires openness from authorities in Kosovo, but she does not provide any openness as far as her finances are concerned. She has never made public how much she receives from the institutions that support here. But what she has done is to do something that no one in the democratic world does, allow large companies sponsor political shows, from 2008 she has signed a sponsor contract with Raifaissen bank and displays their logo in the show “Life in Kosovo” even though this is against the standards of RTK.
I think also that is appalling to see these world organizations react only when their “own” are threatened, why are they not reacting when other journalists get death threats, get fired without reason?

Lip service only.

A since when must journalists make their wages public? Name me any journalists on the planet that must do this.

As far as companies sponsoring political shows, it is regrettably commonplace, although I am against it.

In Serbia Pink TV is the worst offender often contradicting the TV authority rules. Quite often you see well known drinks being advertised on talk shows.

But the point is that this is a campain against investigative journalism and the current form is manifesting itself in Jeta.

What is the interest in the tabloid infopres in 'exposing' Jeta? Who is behind that campaign? Certainly it is not the Kosovo Albanian public, even if some of the Kosovo Albanian public have been fooled into thinking it is.

I feel very strongly about this issue and I am confident that Jeta's in the right. And you know what, if she is making some money from all this, quite frankly thats another lesser issue.

Surely Kosovo freedom of speech is more important.

As a Kosovar, I owuld be proud of what Jeta Xharra does in Kosovo. She brings to the public attention all the negative aspects of the Kosovar society (mostly resulting from wrong politics). I do believe that if Serbia would have a similar journalist to air in the Public TV os Serbia facts that prove the wrong side of government, then the Serbian society would appreciate better the real situation on the ground. Well done Jeta Xharra and keep up the good work for the better future of Kosovo.

Oh, and another thing, NATO is cutting 4000 troops from our province. Check [link] Looks like the true reality is beginning to bite. Funding for misguided missions is running thin so you'll need to prepare for lasting and peaceful negotiations based on more than autonomy, less than independence while the window of opportunity is still open.
(Zoran, 11 June 2009 11:16)

She did not receive any threats but I guess she can't take critics, yet she critizes everobody else.Publicity stunt in making to further her carier and fill her pocket with loads of money.

Can anyone tell these guys that there is not such a thing as a Kosovo government!

By the way: freedom of speech is a good thing!

"if Serbia would have a similar journalist to air in the Public TV bla bla bla yada yada yada.
John

You don't know what you are talking about "John" or is it Skender? Serbia has journalists 30 times better and more skillful than this one. Serb journalists even got international recognition.
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=12&dd=05&nav_id=55527

Our Southern Serbian citizens need to face up to some ugly aspects of their own culture. You cannot constantly threaten people you don't like or who reveal the truth of matters.
(Zoran, 11 June 2009 13:44)

You executed your own prime minister for God Sake, let alone what is that you can do to a journalist.... and you have the face to accuse albanians for intolerance and backward culture?

Ask B92 about journalist harrassment in Serbia, I am sure they can give you some insights.

Read the latest international reports. Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans.

Go get the facts, don't be brainwashed by your government.

Well, an authoritarian movement that was given the green light to transition into an authoritarian government by the West has invariably produced an authoritarian political culture in Kosovo's media. This is nothing different from dozens of other cases where paranoid nationalism condemns anyone who deviates from the Glorious Historys that Be Our Peoples of Glorious Nation (read with a Borat accent). I seem to recall even people like Veton Surroi has occasionally been hassled by some of the more fascistic elements of Thaci's entrouge. But to say that this doesn't happen elsewhere is completely stupid.

To Zoran; you must be a part of 4 % of those who will “fight” for Kosovo, according to a public opinion survey conducted recently by a very respectable center for democracy in Belgrade. Her is an article by Tymes..in that respect: June 10 (Kosovo Times) - In a public opinion survey conducted by the Belgrade’s Center for Free Elections and Democracy came up with the finding that Kosovo is no longer an issue of interest for the citizens of Serbia. According to this survey only 4% of the citizens of Serbia consider the fight for Kosovo as a priority for them. The main concern for the citizens of Serbia is the economic development, standard of living, employments and the fight against organized crime and corruption.

Denis its not a question of Serbs giving lessons in tolerance. Its a question of taking support for a free Kosovo media from wherever it comes.

An attack on investigative journalism is an attack on all of us and we must be vigourous in its defence.

And our 'infrastructure' for resisting these kinds of attacks in much more established in Serbia proper. It certainly does not mean that the media in Serbia is a bed of roses. Far from it, but it does mean that we have a critical mass of people and organisations that are activated.

Bear in mind that we also have numerous excellent indepedent journalists who have worked for the likes of Vreme, Danas or Nasa Borba, the large majority of whom were always seen as opposing many of Milosevic's policies.

As I said before Serbian organisations and individuals cannot afford to weaken Jeta much by supporting her because her Kosovo Albanian enemies will attack her for it but I think that certain non political organisations help in any way they can.

And I don't think the issue is whether she supported independence or not. THE ISSUE is to try not to let the argument be steered into independence issue to divert the freedom of speech issue to patriot vs traitor (Serb lover etc).

I have to say that the idea that corruption is lower in Kosovo than in the whole Balkans does not ring true to me. You are free to point to the report but I'm not really sure that either of us believes it.

To see Serbs giving lessons about tolerance and open society is at best laughable.

Jeta is without a doubt a jewel of post-war Kosovo. Well educated, eloquent, progressist, smart, charismatic, full of new ideas, she is everything Kosovo needs to flurish as an independent state.

She is everything that tells us that Kosovo can build an independent, modern, open, and prosperous society and state, and with people like her Serbia will never rule us again.

She has been one of the strongest supporters of Independence. Read her life story to see how her family was persecuted from the Serbian state.

Every society has these very conflicts, and those who threaten her should be persecuted, but to claim that she has a pro-serbian view is foolish.

Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans.

(Denis, 11 June 2009 19:53)

[CITATION NEEDED]

>>You executed your own prime minister for God Sake, let alone what is that you can do to a journalist.... and you have the face to accuse albanians for intolerance and backward culture?

Ask B92 about journalist harrassment in Serbia, I am sure they can give you some insights.

'Oh, and another thing, NATO is cutting 4000 troops from our province. Check [link] Looks like the true reality is beginning to bite. Funding for misguided missions is running thin so you'll need to prepare for lasting and peaceful negotiations based on more than autonomy, less than independence while the window of opportunity is still open.'

Don't forget, EULEX has 2500 personnel and the new Kosovo Protection Corps has 2500 + reservists, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

§Read the latest international reports. Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans."

Oh, could you please supply a link for this report? It's hard to believe, have to read it with my own eyes...
----
Here you :
"Survey: Corruption is a way of life in Serbia, say Serbs

....Belgrade - Serbs see corruption as the way of life in their country and most see politicians as the worst offenders, local newspapers said Thursday citing the annual Transparency International survey. One in five of those polled actually offered a bribe themselves in the past year, or had a family member do it, according to the survey.
...
The annual Transparency International survey, carried out worldwide, ranked Serbia as the most corrupt country in Western Balkans. "
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/271649,survey-corruption-is-a-way-of-life-in-serbia-say-serbs.html

Go to Transparency Intl and see the 2009 report, Kosova is the cleanest.

§Read the latest international reports. Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans."

Oh, could you please supply a link for this report? It's hard to believe, have to read it with my own eyes...

Jeta we love you, please think where you are living right now. Kosova and not in London UK.
You should give more time to people there.
Do not put your nose everywhere, take a good care of yourself.

Kosova-USA,

"fill her pocket with loads of money"

That's Funny.... What do you think the fake politicians of the puppet state of KosovO are doing? but at least Jeta is doing this legitimately by working for a living. The KosovO fake politicians are making there money from Heroin and prostitution.

I have to say that the idea that corruption is lower in Kosovo than in the whole Balkans does not ring true to me. You are free to point to the report but I'm not really sure that either of us believes it.
(bganon, 11 June 2009 22:05)

Sir, with all due respect, read the latest Global Corruption Barometer 2009 on Transparency Intl website, to see that Kosovo scores better than Serbia in every aspect of corruption, except Judiciary.
20% of Serbian citizens responded that they had payed a bribe, compared to 13% of Kosovo citizens. I am not lying, you can check for yourself.

But this is not all there was a report from USAID on July 2003 called "Corruption in Kosovo - Observations & Implications for USAID" by Bertram Spector, Svetlana Winbourne and Laurence Beck. Kosovo has some of the best scores in corruption indexes in this study. Indeed it has the overall best score.

Kosovo has never been the corrupt and criminal place Serbia has made it to be, nor is Kosovo a gloomy and closed society as you believe it is, all the numbers show exactly the opposite. Serbia is much more corrupt and higher levels of crime, and apparently the quality of information is not always the best. But, of course you choose to believe what you want to.

In my opinion this brainwash that goes on in Serbia towards Kosovo, at least in this aspect does not help anyone, but only contributes to more hate and conflict. Not wise.

boboboooo§ jeta affair is no longer a local(very local even in k)affair!OK/let's remind you that it is the right of every citizen to protect it's privacy and Jeta's team has to respekt this:they took pictures of a man _with a red hat as they said_ that did not want to be filmed,and he took the video record from the journalist.Jeta's team,who did not get an interview from the office of Mister Lushtaku_who at that time was in prishtina_accused the mayor's team for this conduct,without any doubt that this team may have nothing to do with this man!
Jeta must learn that it is not because she asks an interview that people must respond to her§Freedom means also that i am free to chose to whom i give an interview,and Mr Lushtaku has long ago told her that he does not want to give an interview to her ,due to her unfounded accusation against him when his was under investigation.It is his right to do so,as a free man!
as to freedom of speech ,that Jeta according to yourepresents,may i tel you just one thing to show you how she is perceived:my husband when i don't let him speak,just tells me,Don't play your jeta xharra show!Jeta xharra is the symbol of the journalist who,when she asks you a question doesnot even listen to your response,and has alredy cut tyour response by an other question to the other participant!
She is arrogant,has no knowledge of local history,not enough general culture to make her show something else than "une foire d'empoigne" as french will say!Noisy,unintelligible debates, where the only thing important is how much time did she speak moreloudly than her interlocuters!...
Degré zero of investigative journalism!..
But the RTK is changing its program,and may be the only manner that Jeta has to confort her positions is by creating a big mess,where internationals are involved,to assure her power? I am not sure that it's independant journalism here...It's rather,they back me so shut up,much more jeta's way of dialogue!

Just one question to wanda:

How many times have you seen women in Jeta's show?It seems that ,except her,women do not exist and are not able to speak about kosovo problems .At least this is the impression you have when looking jeta's show
Could you please tell her that we do exist,we do have too opinions and habilities to express ourselves,and we do know as much as her masculin invitees,the problems of kosovo society.Much better than them in fact!please help us to have access to jeta in kosove!

The only reason why Kosovo is "less corrupt" is due to the extreme poverty...no one has money to bribe anyone except for the EU who has bribed the entire albo power structure of Kosmet.

"Sir, with all due respect, read the latest Global Corruption Barometer 2009 on Transparency Intl website, to see that Kosovo scores better than Serbia in every aspect of corruption, except Judiciary."

Scores better? Strange conclusion! I read the report, and maybe you noticed that the results were a survey amongst the residents of the countries, and for every country, ALL AREAS SUM UP to 100%!

I don't know if you can be proud of the only 1% saying that media is corrupt and 39% saying judicary system is corrupt in Kosovo, compared to 7% of corrupt media and 15% corrupt judicary in Serbia. What is more important, I wonder...

Here you have the link to the 2009 TI survey:

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/gcb/2009

Here's another link on corruption that goes into cocnsiderably more detail - http://www.usaid.gov/kosovo/pdf/corruption_in_kosovo.pdf, from back in 2003.

"In comparison to other countries in the region, the survey results suggest that the corruption situation in
Kosovo is more optimistic. Corruption does not appear to be as widespread among public officials, the demands of corrupt officials are lower, and the extent of citizen involvement in corrupt transactions is lower in Kosovo than in other countries of Southeast Europe. In addition, Kosovars appear to believe that they can cope with the problem. In terms of tolerance for corruption and susceptibility to corruption,
Kosovo seems to be at the same level as other former republics of Yugoslavia."

To our Southern Serbian citizens (mainly of Albanian ethnicity), please leave Jeta Xharra alone and allow her to reveal some of the more unpleasant side of your position.

Isn't it good that she has exposed some of your "politicians" having unpaid electricity bills amounting to €5,000? This is shameful considering their stance against Serbians with unpaid bills.

Isn't she a realist when she prefers to have the rule of law established before resolving the status issue? Kosovo is not independent and she knows the truth.

Please leave her alone!

Oh, and another thing, NATO is cutting 4000 troops from our province. Check http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8094430.stm Looks like the true reality is beginning to bite. Funding for misguided missions is running thin so you'll need to prepare for lasting and peaceful negotiations based on more than autonomy, less than independence while the window of opportunity is still open.

Oh, and another thing, NATO is cutting 4000 troops from our province. Check [link] Looks like the true reality is beginning to bite. Funding for misguided missions is running thin so you'll need to prepare for lasting and peaceful negotiations based on more than autonomy, less than independence while the window of opportunity is still open.
(Zoran, 11 June 2009 11:16)

She did not receive any threats but I guess she can't take critics, yet she critizes everobody else.Publicity stunt in making to further her carier and fill her pocket with loads of money.

Our Southern Serbian citizens need to face up to some ugly aspects of their own culture. You cannot constantly threaten people you don't like or who reveal the truth of matters.
(Zoran, 11 June 2009 13:44)

You executed your own prime minister for God Sake, let alone what is that you can do to a journalist.... and you have the face to accuse albanians for intolerance and backward culture?

Ask B92 about journalist harrassment in Serbia, I am sure they can give you some insights.

Read the latest international reports. Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans.

Go get the facts, don't be brainwashed by your government.

"if Serbia would have a similar journalist to air in the Public TV bla bla bla yada yada yada.
John

You don't know what you are talking about "John" or is it Skender? Serbia has journalists 30 times better and more skillful than this one. Serb journalists even got international recognition.
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=12&dd=05&nav_id=55527

Death threats should be condemned by all the institutions of Kosovo, but I hope Jeta agrees with me that freedom of speech is not just when she criticize government, but also when someone else like Inforpress criticizes Jeta Xharra.
I have read all the articles published by Inforpress on this issue and I admit that most of them were tendentious but some of them raised some very interesting issues that Jeta does not want to talk about.
E.g. Jeta Xharra requires openness from authorities in Kosovo, but she does not provide any openness as far as her finances are concerned. She has never made public how much she receives from the institutions that support here. But what she has done is to do something that no one in the democratic world does, allow large companies sponsor political shows, from 2008 she has signed a sponsor contract with Raifaissen bank and displays their logo in the show “Life in Kosovo” even though this is against the standards of RTK.
I think also that is appalling to see these world organizations react only when their “own” are threatened, why are they not reacting when other journalists get death threats, get fired without reason?

"she was “the biggest post-war enemy of Kosovo” and a “Serbian agent.”

They are after her because she speaks the truth. If they can do this to an Albanian imaging how free and safe the Serbs feel.

"The Kosovo government says it condemns all “isolated cases of violations of free speech,”"

I do believe that Thaci finds "ISOLATED cases" extremely ineffective.

"Speaking of violations of freedom of expression..."

To violate freedoms you should have at the least something like society, what you don't have. By voicing such staff, you try to create an impression that Kosovo is like other societies with their problems. But in fact Kosovo is nothing but a mafia-ridden province.

Some of the headlines and content coming from Infopress.

"Jeta Xharra is an Agent of the Serbian Secret Police"
"Jeta has brought it upon herself to have a short life"
"Get those Serbian-employed spies and free speech terrorists off the air! Traitors! Off with their heads!"

Is it not right for Jeta to question the legality and morality of mayor Sami Lushtaku remaining in office while serving a prison sentence for assaulting a judge?

Her finances are coming from the same Western friends you continually brag about. Is it that difficult to accept the rule of law?

Our Southern Serbian citizens need to face up to some ugly aspects of their own culture. You cannot constantly threaten people you don't like or who reveal the truth of matters.

To Zoran; you must be a part of 4 % of those who will “fight” for Kosovo, according to a public opinion survey conducted recently by a very respectable center for democracy in Belgrade. Her is an article by Tymes..in that respect: June 10 (Kosovo Times) - In a public opinion survey conducted by the Belgrade’s Center for Free Elections and Democracy came up with the finding that Kosovo is no longer an issue of interest for the citizens of Serbia. According to this survey only 4% of the citizens of Serbia consider the fight for Kosovo as a priority for them. The main concern for the citizens of Serbia is the economic development, standard of living, employments and the fight against organized crime and corruption.

This Kosovo government statement sounds like it was written by an American lawyer. Whenever, people want to put their best foot forward, especially when they are in trouble they hire a lawyer. No doubt this was written by an American too, a clear indication who's protecting Kosovo's interests, even when one of Kosovo's own is under threat from Kosovo's own.

Can anyone tell these guys that there is not such a thing as a Kosovo government!

By the way: freedom of speech is a good thing!

Lip service only.

As a Kosovar, I owuld be proud of what Jeta Xharra does in Kosovo. She brings to the public attention all the negative aspects of the Kosovar society (mostly resulting from wrong politics). I do believe that if Serbia would have a similar journalist to air in the Public TV os Serbia facts that prove the wrong side of government, then the Serbian society would appreciate better the real situation on the ground. Well done Jeta Xharra and keep up the good work for the better future of Kosovo.

To see Serbs giving lessons about tolerance and open society is at best laughable.

Jeta is without a doubt a jewel of post-war Kosovo. Well educated, eloquent, progressist, smart, charismatic, full of new ideas, she is everything Kosovo needs to flurish as an independent state.

She is everything that tells us that Kosovo can build an independent, modern, open, and prosperous society and state, and with people like her Serbia will never rule us again.

She has been one of the strongest supporters of Independence. Read her life story to see how her family was persecuted from the Serbian state.

Every society has these very conflicts, and those who threaten her should be persecuted, but to claim that she has a pro-serbian view is foolish.

This is a disgrace, Jeta has been accused of all kinds of things and even received a death threat in Infopres.

Everybody who believes in freedom of the media should condemn this but I don't believe Kosovo authorities comittment to a free press. Most Kosovo politicians are afraid of the growth of investigative journalism and this was an attempt to step on the toes of IWPR - which is currently leading the charge of the free media in Kosovo.

For me it doesn't matter that Kosovo Albanian society is in some way 'segregated' from Serbia. Serbian NGO's, independent media and all free thinkers must lend support to Kosovo independent journalism, as Kosovo non governmental institutions are simply not developed enough. At the same time its important not to give enemies of free press in Kosovo 'evidence' that independent journalists in Kosovo are working for Serbia, so some caution is needed.

I should add that this 'development' and many more incidents like this besides are inevitable; the independence issue has been milked by Kosovo politicians as a means of diverting public attention away from their activities.

Kosovo Albanian society is slowly waking up to this fact, but there is very strong resistence from powerful men in the background.

All I can say to Albanians is don't let them fool you that this is a matter of patriotism. This is a matter of control and if you don't stand up they will control you.

>>You executed your own prime minister for God Sake, let alone what is that you can do to a journalist.... and you have the face to accuse albanians for intolerance and backward culture?

Ask B92 about journalist harrassment in Serbia, I am sure they can give you some insights.

A since when must journalists make their wages public? Name me any journalists on the planet that must do this.

As far as companies sponsoring political shows, it is regrettably commonplace, although I am against it.

In Serbia Pink TV is the worst offender often contradicting the TV authority rules. Quite often you see well known drinks being advertised on talk shows.

But the point is that this is a campain against investigative journalism and the current form is manifesting itself in Jeta.

What is the interest in the tabloid infopres in 'exposing' Jeta? Who is behind that campaign? Certainly it is not the Kosovo Albanian public, even if some of the Kosovo Albanian public have been fooled into thinking it is.

I feel very strongly about this issue and I am confident that Jeta's in the right. And you know what, if she is making some money from all this, quite frankly thats another lesser issue.

Surely Kosovo freedom of speech is more important.

Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans.

(Denis, 11 June 2009 19:53)

[CITATION NEEDED]

§Read the latest international reports. Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans."

Oh, could you please supply a link for this report? It's hard to believe, have to read it with my own eyes...
----
Here you :
"Survey: Corruption is a way of life in Serbia, say Serbs

....Belgrade - Serbs see corruption as the way of life in their country and most see politicians as the worst offenders, local newspapers said Thursday citing the annual Transparency International survey. One in five of those polled actually offered a bribe themselves in the past year, or had a family member do it, according to the survey.
...
The annual Transparency International survey, carried out worldwide, ranked Serbia as the most corrupt country in Western Balkans. "
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/271649,survey-corruption-is-a-way-of-life-in-serbia-say-serbs.html

Go to Transparency Intl and see the 2009 report, Kosova is the cleanest.

'Oh, and another thing, NATO is cutting 4000 troops from our province. Check [link] Looks like the true reality is beginning to bite. Funding for misguided missions is running thin so you'll need to prepare for lasting and peaceful negotiations based on more than autonomy, less than independence while the window of opportunity is still open.'

Don't forget, EULEX has 2500 personnel and the new Kosovo Protection Corps has 2500 + reservists, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Denis its not a question of Serbs giving lessons in tolerance. Its a question of taking support for a free Kosovo media from wherever it comes.

An attack on investigative journalism is an attack on all of us and we must be vigourous in its defence.

And our 'infrastructure' for resisting these kinds of attacks in much more established in Serbia proper. It certainly does not mean that the media in Serbia is a bed of roses. Far from it, but it does mean that we have a critical mass of people and organisations that are activated.

Bear in mind that we also have numerous excellent indepedent journalists who have worked for the likes of Vreme, Danas or Nasa Borba, the large majority of whom were always seen as opposing many of Milosevic's policies.

As I said before Serbian organisations and individuals cannot afford to weaken Jeta much by supporting her because her Kosovo Albanian enemies will attack her for it but I think that certain non political organisations help in any way they can.

And I don't think the issue is whether she supported independence or not. THE ISSUE is to try not to let the argument be steered into independence issue to divert the freedom of speech issue to patriot vs traitor (Serb lover etc).

I have to say that the idea that corruption is lower in Kosovo than in the whole Balkans does not ring true to me. You are free to point to the report but I'm not really sure that either of us believes it.

Jeta we love you, please think where you are living right now. Kosova and not in London UK.
You should give more time to people there.
Do not put your nose everywhere, take a good care of yourself.

§Read the latest international reports. Kosovo is the least corrupt in the Balkans, contrary to how they brainwash you up there in Serbia. Twice less corrupt than Serbia. It has the lowest level of crime in all Balkans."

Oh, could you please supply a link for this report? It's hard to believe, have to read it with my own eyes...

Kosova-USA,

"fill her pocket with loads of money"

That's Funny.... What do you think the fake politicians of the puppet state of KosovO are doing? but at least Jeta is doing this legitimately by working for a living. The KosovO fake politicians are making there money from Heroin and prostitution.

I have to say that the idea that corruption is lower in Kosovo than in the whole Balkans does not ring true to me. You are free to point to the report but I'm not really sure that either of us believes it.
(bganon, 11 June 2009 22:05)

Sir, with all due respect, read the latest Global Corruption Barometer 2009 on Transparency Intl website, to see that Kosovo scores better than Serbia in every aspect of corruption, except Judiciary.
20% of Serbian citizens responded that they had payed a bribe, compared to 13% of Kosovo citizens. I am not lying, you can check for yourself.

But this is not all there was a report from USAID on July 2003 called "Corruption in Kosovo - Observations & Implications for USAID" by Bertram Spector, Svetlana Winbourne and Laurence Beck. Kosovo has some of the best scores in corruption indexes in this study. Indeed it has the overall best score.

Kosovo has never been the corrupt and criminal place Serbia has made it to be, nor is Kosovo a gloomy and closed society as you believe it is, all the numbers show exactly the opposite. Serbia is much more corrupt and higher levels of crime, and apparently the quality of information is not always the best. But, of course you choose to believe what you want to.

In my opinion this brainwash that goes on in Serbia towards Kosovo, at least in this aspect does not help anyone, but only contributes to more hate and conflict. Not wise.

Well, an authoritarian movement that was given the green light to transition into an authoritarian government by the West has invariably produced an authoritarian political culture in Kosovo's media. This is nothing different from dozens of other cases where paranoid nationalism condemns anyone who deviates from the Glorious Historys that Be Our Peoples of Glorious Nation (read with a Borat accent). I seem to recall even people like Veton Surroi has occasionally been hassled by some of the more fascistic elements of Thaci's entrouge. But to say that this doesn't happen elsewhere is completely stupid.

boboboooo§ jeta affair is no longer a local(very local even in k)affair!OK/let's remind you that it is the right of every citizen to protect it's privacy and Jeta's team has to respekt this:they took pictures of a man _with a red hat as they said_ that did not want to be filmed,and he took the video record from the journalist.Jeta's team,who did not get an interview from the office of Mister Lushtaku_who at that time was in prishtina_accused the mayor's team for this conduct,without any doubt that this team may have nothing to do with this man!
Jeta must learn that it is not because she asks an interview that people must respond to her§Freedom means also that i am free to chose to whom i give an interview,and Mr Lushtaku has long ago told her that he does not want to give an interview to her ,due to her unfounded accusation against him when his was under investigation.It is his right to do so,as a free man!
as to freedom of speech ,that Jeta according to yourepresents,may i tel you just one thing to show you how she is perceived:my husband when i don't let him speak,just tells me,Don't play your jeta xharra show!Jeta xharra is the symbol of the journalist who,when she asks you a question doesnot even listen to your response,and has alredy cut tyour response by an other question to the other participant!
She is arrogant,has no knowledge of local history,not enough general culture to make her show something else than "une foire d'empoigne" as french will say!Noisy,unintelligible debates, where the only thing important is how much time did she speak moreloudly than her interlocuters!...
Degré zero of investigative journalism!..
But the RTK is changing its program,and may be the only manner that Jeta has to confort her positions is by creating a big mess,where internationals are involved,to assure her power? I am not sure that it's independant journalism here...It's rather,they back me so shut up,much more jeta's way of dialogue!

The only reason why Kosovo is "less corrupt" is due to the extreme poverty...no one has money to bribe anyone except for the EU who has bribed the entire albo power structure of Kosmet.

"Sir, with all due respect, read the latest Global Corruption Barometer 2009 on Transparency Intl website, to see that Kosovo scores better than Serbia in every aspect of corruption, except Judiciary."

Scores better? Strange conclusion! I read the report, and maybe you noticed that the results were a survey amongst the residents of the countries, and for every country, ALL AREAS SUM UP to 100%!

I don't know if you can be proud of the only 1% saying that media is corrupt and 39% saying judicary system is corrupt in Kosovo, compared to 7% of corrupt media and 15% corrupt judicary in Serbia. What is more important, I wonder...

Here you have the link to the 2009 TI survey:

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/gcb/2009

Here's another link on corruption that goes into cocnsiderably more detail - http://www.usaid.gov/kosovo/pdf/corruption_in_kosovo.pdf, from back in 2003.

"In comparison to other countries in the region, the survey results suggest that the corruption situation in
Kosovo is more optimistic. Corruption does not appear to be as widespread among public officials, the demands of corrupt officials are lower, and the extent of citizen involvement in corrupt transactions is lower in Kosovo than in other countries of Southeast Europe. In addition, Kosovars appear to believe that they can cope with the problem. In terms of tolerance for corruption and susceptibility to corruption,
Kosovo seems to be at the same level as other former republics of Yugoslavia."

Just one question to wanda:

How many times have you seen women in Jeta's show?It seems that ,except her,women do not exist and are not able to speak about kosovo problems .At least this is the impression you have when looking jeta's show
Could you please tell her that we do exist,we do have too opinions and habilities to express ourselves,and we do know as much as her masculin invitees,the problems of kosovo society.Much better than them in fact!please help us to have access to jeta in kosove!