Public enterprise against Kosovo privatization

They think that since they stole themselves a whole country they might as well now start selling it off bit by bit.

And they are doing this in broad daylight.
Who has actually given this thief permission to dispose of Serbia's assets?

If Feith goes ahead of cofiscating Serbian owned property its nothing but a large scandal and theft!
It worked in Cuba back in the early 60s when foreign property were nationalised, but this is not going to work in modern time Serbia.

If Kosovo is Serbia and Serbia owns everything there, why make a fuss about this only?

PRN: "Public enterprises have NO VETO on whether or not privatisation should go ahead. The Kosovo Law on privatisation REGULATES this. Every public enterprises will be privatised, whereas background noises pro/against are common grapewine. PERIOD"


Actually, Kosovo is regulated by EULEX, and EULEX's mandate states that it has to operate under the UN umbrella.

The UN does not recognise Kosovo as a state but does recognise its own Res 1244 which states that Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia. That means that the UN and EULEX must negotiate on any move such as this with the government of Serbia.

As somebody else said, all eyes are watching now, and those greedy little hands will have to wait a bit longer before being wrapped in ski mits.

Public enterprises have NO VETO on whether or not privatisation should go ahead. The Kosovo Law on privatisation REGULATES this. Every public enterprises will be privatised, whereas background noises pro/against are common grapewine. PERIOD

I'd like to see this deal become a reality when there is a majority Serb population living here. Like everything else in Kosovo there needs to be approval from Belgrade for anything to happen.

This is why IMF fought a dirty money war on Yugoslavia and this is why they overthrew president Milosevic and chopped up the country for anglo-american companies.

To privatize common property and gain from the profits, feith is simply doing what he´s supposed to do, much like the american governor in occupied iraq did.

Who has actually given this thief permission to dispose of Serbia's assets?
(Peggy, 9 December 2009 10:56)

It is Kosovo's not Serbia's asset actually.

It is Kosovo's not Serbia's asset actually.
(Ian, UK, 9 December 2009 15:36)

But Kosovo is a Serbian province!

Who has actually given this thief permission to dispose of Serbia's assets?
(Peggy, 9 December 2009 10:56)
--
From day one that all telling surname, Feith, had the right sound but spelt backwards.

Now since they will be forced to work with the EU and Belgrade, those greedy little hands will be watched carefully. I expect this will need to be kept in Serbia's control before we agree to anything. Also, it will need to create employment for Serbians in the area, since we form the majority in Štrpce.

Just a thought; They can privatise all they like, but who will go skiing in Kosovo? Europeans not, because they are too afraid to step foot on kosovan soil, Serbians, from Serbia, will probably not because of the same reason, as well as that there are many ski centres in Serbia, Bulgaria and the rest of Europe to choose from and Kosovars will not because because after privatisation it will become too expensive to use. Still Freit will probably have arranged a free ski pass for this season, so he can have the slopes to himself. Good luck mate.

How about Serbia starts compensating damages it caused in Kosovo then perhaps we can discuss any "Ski resort".

I tell you one thing,Peter Faith has a good idea but he wont be the one ho has a property,he may act as a agent but the final word an the price has Kosovo and no one else,I asume that Serbia want some of the money to cover up her budget holes but since the war did not get anything of the sales of federal proprety and will never happen again.

Terry, your parroting fascion for George Soros Otpor & €USSR is outdated and has never been anything but fairy tales propaganda and empire hubris.

Serbs are not idiots you know, they wont fall for the same trick twice.Thats why they are force feeding us with the same "soon you will all be rich vote €U" in all (soros) media

Yugoslavia no longer exists and Kosovo is no longer temporarily administrated by the UN.
(Ian, UK, 9 December 2009 16:36)
--
Now, you have given me a great idea. Based on your logic I can go and take out as many credit cards as I please, take out loans and spend it all. Now I only need to change my name for the debt to be wiped clean?

Ron,

It safe to say that Kosovo is much more than a province. To be a province you have to be under the control of the parent country, we all know Serbia has had no control for over a decade.

Serbia also does not regulate laws, taxes, education, etc.

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

When 1244 was passed Jugoslavia existed. That entity disappeared while Kosovo remained neither attached nor independent. Serbia adopted a new constitution without any consent (esp Kosovars) and declared it was the successor state of Jugo. Kosovo does not belong to Serbia by international law (1244) it was a part of Jugoslavia...since that entity does not exist the people of 'Kosovo have the right to a referendum to shape their destiny.

The UN does not recognise Kosovo as a state but does recognise its own Res 1244 which states that Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia. That means that the UN and EULEX must negotiate on any move such as this with the government of Serbia.

(kate, 9 December 2009 13:37)

Oh please Kate, which page and paragraph have you read (1244 R) that says:
"Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia" ??? I went over severaltimes andnowhere I found a line as you mentioned above.

MikeC,
If everything and anything that happens in Kosova has to be approved by Belgrade, than why Belgrade was not able to stop the DI, which according to your logic makes me think that has been approved by Belgrade.

@ Mike -

"where can I go for an awesome ski vacation this year? Switzerland? Austria? Italy? No wait, I know! Kosovo!"

Exactly!
"Early to bed,
Early to rise,
Work like hell and
Advertise!"

(Remember?)

@ Go East; Your comment is completely out of context.
Sorry to say,Milosovic was not exactly an asset to Serbia, or to Yugoslavia and it's a good job for all Slavs he and his cronies are gone. As for privatisation of state enterprises, it's not only the Anglo-Americans who are scooping up state companies. "Maika" Russia is more active than any other country. Nis petrol was not the first and Srbija-Gas will not be the last they will lay their hands on. They paid pennies for Nis petrol and kicked out all Serbs. as a "reward", the Russians then lend Serbia a billion USD to build a railway...to Russia of course, and have Russians do the job. When the job is done they will demand re-payment of their investment plus interest. The EU DONATED a billion EUROS to Srbia, to spend as it likes and no strings attached. Not many people know that, but now you do. Still wanna go East?

I'd like to see this deal become a reality when there is a majority Serb population living here. Like everything else in Kosovo there needs to be approval from Belgrade for anything to happen.
(MikeC, 9 December 2009 11:56)

Yes Sure we will ask you alright. This is smallest thing being offered so far. only you are talking about this since 12,000 Serbs live there but they dont own the resort.

Why where Serbs live they own it but where Albanians do they dont by you.

Lets see what Belgrad is going to do about this. Oh boy imagine if were under Serbia with Autonomy this is what will get ruled by 5% Adios my friends.

To summarise what Zoran is saying.
When part of SFRY Serbia abolished the autonomy of Kosovo, then together with Montenegro created FRY without the consent of Kosovo people and when the FRY disolved they inheritet Kosovo from FRY still without the consent of Kosovo people.
To maket more interesting is that fact that Montenegro which was part of FRY recognised Kosovo as a state.
Am I missing something or this thing is just bizarre. For Serbia to inherit Kosovo it has to have the consent of Montenegro.Right????
Now, as far as Kosovar people are concerned FRY never existed for them but only SFRY. This was stated by Jordan in the court.

Go East you're right,Serbs are not idiots. This is why the majority of you will opt for membership of the EU and not for joining the represive regime of Putin.

"The UN does not recognise Kosovo as a state but does recognise its own Res 1244 which states that Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia."

I thought UNSC Res 1244 said that Kosovo was apart of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, while Kosovo was temporarily administrated by the UN. Yugoslavia no longer exists and Kosovo is no longer temporarily administrated by the UN.

"Kosovo does not belong to Serbia by international law (1244) it was a part of Jugoslavia...since that entity does not exist the people of 'Kosovo have the right to a referendum to shape their destiny."
(SHQIPERIA, 9 December 2009 18:13)

So how many times does one have to point out that Serbia is a successor to FRY before people like you grap it?

You have heard to time and time again but yet you still write.
Please do enlighten yourself before you come here again.

You know what's funny? Feith is going to be making enemies on all sides.

Here we see him attempting to privatize a ski resort in Strpce that I can only imagine gets less that 50 visitors all year. I agree with Terry's post below: who in their right mind, except for the real locals, would think "where can I go for an awesome ski vacation this year? Switzerland? Austria? Italy? No wait, I know! Kosovo!" He can try to privatize, but who would buy it? So Feith ends up making Serbs angry.

But wasn't it not one month ago that Feith also decided to start privatizing Kosovo's political entities by carving out four more Serbian municipalities, much to the ire of Albanians? And weren't Serbs all supportive of that?

Feith's heart may be in the right place (wherever that is), but he's shaping up to be an equal-opportunity annoyer - especially if the privatization deal goes through and it's bought by some Russian company

PRN:
“Public enterprises have NO VETO on whether or not privatisation should go ahead. The Kosovo Law on privatisation REGULATES this. Every public enterprises will be privatized”

Kosova is just as perfectly entitled to have a rubbish “law” such as this, and you are as entitled as any other citizen to support a law that transfers public assets into the hands of a few wealthy money-grubbers, due to some kind of innocent infatuation with such brazen 19th century ideology. However, in a democratic society, people who oppose rubbish laws are also entitled to campaign against these laws and their implementation, whether you choose to call that a “veto” or not. And that can be any citizens of Kosovo/a, whether Albanian or Serb; actually Vetevendosje's recent pronouncements have included denunciations of neo-liberalism and selling the country. Good for them.

Go East:
“This is why IMF fought a dirty money war on Yugoslavia and this is why they overthrew president Milosevic and chopped up the country for anglo-american companies”

How amazing is the Milosevic fan club. So when Milosevic privatized Serbian Telecom, selling it to foreign interests in a deal brokered by none other than former UK foreign minister Doug Hurd and his Nat-West Industries (the first of the former Yugo republics to privatize its Telecom); when he put up the Beocin cement works for sale, when he sold Galenika, the largest pharmaceutical firm in Serbia, to an American company, in the largest privatisation to date in former Yugoslavia, when he offered up Trepca and all the rest of Kosova to privatization in 1998, well, all that proved that he was “fighting imperialism,” but now, in 2009, when … a ski resort … is to be privatized, well that shows that Slobo was junked a decade ago so that western companies could get their hands on the assets of the region. Geez, you guys twist tales to prove that the leadership that wrecked Yugoslavia actually had some redeeming features.

Serbia may put a bid on the resort. It can use the money it saved when it agreed not to pay the part of its foreign debt related to Kosovo. Around $500 million.

"Yugoslavia no longer exists and Kosovo is no longer temporarily administrated by the UN."
(Ian, UK, 9 December 2009 16:36)

Ian, I thought you would grasp this by now since you've been around here for a very long time. Serbia is a successor to Yugoslavia therefore Kosovo is part of Serbia. You know all this. Why go around writing this rubbish and making yourself look like a fool?

I know you would love to belive your own words but even you must know that your words are just wishes and not fact. That's even been pointed out in ICJ and nobody challenged it.

Serbia is not the successor state to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) like Russia is to the USSR. Serbia created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with Montenegro in 1992.

UNSCR 1244 refers to FRY, which is now Serbia through a name change and the independence of Montenegro.

Here is a timeline of events:

1. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was established on 28 April 1992 by Serbia and Montenegro.

2. UNSCR 1244 was adopted by the Security Council at its 4011th meeting, on 10 June 1999. This resolution refers to FRY (created 28 April 1992).

3. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, after applying for membership, was admitted to the UN on 1 November 2000.

4. On 4 February 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had its official name changed to Serbia and Montenegro.

5. Montenegro declared itself independent from the Serbian and Montenegrin union on 3 June 2006.

6. On the same day, the President of Serbia informed the United Nations Secretary-General that the membership of Serbia and Montenegro in the UN was being continued by Serbia.

There was never any dispute about Serbia continuing what began as FRY. However, there is a dispute about FRY being the successor state to Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia but this is a completely different matter.

So where 1244 refers to FRY, it now means Serbia as has been confirmed by many participants in the ICJ case.

Go Home mr Feith!! You can privatize Netherlands property, but not Serbian.

But Vini, Kosovo was clearly part of the Republic of Serbia from 1945 onwards and is specifically mentioned as such in the 1974 SFRY constitution.

It doesn't matter what you guys want to dream up and justify. This has nothing to do with 1974 or SFRY or musicals or even your highly developed imagination.

What matters is international law and Kosovo is still recognised today as part of Serbia. If you believed otherwise then why would you even need to declare independence? Independence from what? Your made up stories?

UNSCR 1244 was based on Kosovo being within FRY and all of the UN agreed to it. That includes the US, France, and UK.

.
(Zoran, 10 December 2009 14:30)

Made up stories really, ok then let us live in our made up story and you live with Kosovo as part of Serbia.

Come to Kosovo and see how much Kosovo is Serbia. If this is what you want and makes you happy come see how much Cirilic is on the streets, maybe a Yugo will give you the hint it was part of it SRFJ or FRY.

I'd like to see this deal become a reality when there is a majority Serb population living here. Like everything else in Kosovo there needs to be approval from Belgrade for anything to happen.
(MikeC, 9 December 2009 11:56)

Just a reality check, last year some 800 thousand K-Alb spent thier summer in Albanian coast, 6 times more that 5 years ago. In a matter of a few years, Kosovo and Albania will become one market, and function as one state. K-Alb new generation will grow up having no relation to Serbia whatsoever, none of them will speak Serbian, or have any links to Serbia, or know anything about Serbia other than its hate for them ..... thier focus will be Tirana, cause Serbia has closed the doors and tries to isolate Kosovo. Very smart move indeed.

No offense to my highly esteemed colleagues, but all this dizzying talk abut fry and sfry and god knows pre-s fry... reminded me of that wonderfully sardonic piece from "Hair" (yes, back in the day...):

"LBJ took the IRT
down to 4th street USA
When he got there, what did he see?
The youth of America on LSD.

LBJ, IRT
USA, LSD

LSD, LBJ
FBI, CIA

F-B-I-C-I-A
L-S-D;
Eh-eh-el...Be...Jay..."

well, maybe at least ataman will enjoy and "get" this dated little parody.

actually back in my day, in detroit, it became: "tricky dick" and "Woodward ave".

oh how we love our (post) modern acronyms.

anyway, despite which reincarnation of FRY that you refer to, from king peter to slob-o thru the current crop, we ain't play'en that tune again. ever.

so get on board with independence, or pls move off the platform...

ciao! roberto
frisco

ps the iconic musical "Hair" was performed nearly every day in my beloved sarajevo, during the almost 4 year siege, which was one of those spontaneous cultural manifestations that helped those brave people to carry on, despite all odds. and for a short while, while visiting the city, our dear Joan Baez joined them, and is still remembered fondly for it.

Please do enlighten yourself before you come here again.
(Peggy, 9 December 2009 19:36)

Petty little insults won't help your cause. Serbia dissolved Jugoslavia and created Serbia & Montenegro...when that was dissolved in 2006 by Montenegro's DOI than Serbia declared it was the successor state of Jugoslavia....that makes no sense. By logical sense Serbia could have declared the successor state of SCG, or Serbia & Mont' are the successor states but not successor state of JUGOSLAVIA.

Vini got it spot on and this is exactly the whole in the otherwise very neat-looking history that Zoran has laid out. As Kosovo's correct constitutional status - as a federal unit in its own right with near republic status - had been illegally and militarily suppressed by Milosevic in 1989-90, Kosovo was not in any position to decide whether or not to join the new state (FRY) in 1992. If given a choice, it may have chosen to not join, or at most to join as a thrid federal unit. Without such a choice, the rest of Zoran's largely correct account is therefore irrelevant as far as Kosovo goes.

Public enterprises have NO VETO on whether or not privatisation should go ahead. The Kosovo Law on privatisation REGULATES this. Every public enterprises will be privatised, whereas background noises pro/against are common grapewine. PERIOD

If Feith goes ahead of cofiscating Serbian owned property its nothing but a large scandal and theft!
It worked in Cuba back in the early 60s when foreign property were nationalised, but this is not going to work in modern time Serbia.

I'd like to see this deal become a reality when there is a majority Serb population living here. Like everything else in Kosovo there needs to be approval from Belgrade for anything to happen.
(MikeC, 9 December 2009 11:56)

Yes Sure we will ask you alright. This is smallest thing being offered so far. only you are talking about this since 12,000 Serbs live there but they dont own the resort.

Why where Serbs live they own it but where Albanians do they dont by you.

Lets see what Belgrad is going to do about this. Oh boy imagine if were under Serbia with Autonomy this is what will get ruled by 5% Adios my friends.

They think that since they stole themselves a whole country they might as well now start selling it off bit by bit.

And they are doing this in broad daylight.
Who has actually given this thief permission to dispose of Serbia's assets?

How about Serbia starts compensating damages it caused in Kosovo then perhaps we can discuss any "Ski resort".

Who has actually given this thief permission to dispose of Serbia's assets?
(Peggy, 9 December 2009 10:56)

It is Kosovo's not Serbia's asset actually.

I tell you one thing,Peter Faith has a good idea but he wont be the one ho has a property,he may act as a agent but the final word an the price has Kosovo and no one else,I asume that Serbia want some of the money to cover up her budget holes but since the war did not get anything of the sales of federal proprety and will never happen again.

If Kosovo is Serbia and Serbia owns everything there, why make a fuss about this only?

@ Go East; Your comment is completely out of context.
Sorry to say,Milosovic was not exactly an asset to Serbia, or to Yugoslavia and it's a good job for all Slavs he and his cronies are gone. As for privatisation of state enterprises, it's not only the Anglo-Americans who are scooping up state companies. "Maika" Russia is more active than any other country. Nis petrol was not the first and Srbija-Gas will not be the last they will lay their hands on. They paid pennies for Nis petrol and kicked out all Serbs. as a "reward", the Russians then lend Serbia a billion USD to build a railway...to Russia of course, and have Russians do the job. When the job is done they will demand re-payment of their investment plus interest. The EU DONATED a billion EUROS to Srbia, to spend as it likes and no strings attached. Not many people know that, but now you do. Still wanna go East?

Go East you're right,Serbs are not idiots. This is why the majority of you will opt for membership of the EU and not for joining the represive regime of Putin.

The UN does not recognise Kosovo as a state but does recognise its own Res 1244 which states that Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia. That means that the UN and EULEX must negotiate on any move such as this with the government of Serbia.

(kate, 9 December 2009 13:37)

Oh please Kate, which page and paragraph have you read (1244 R) that says:
"Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia" ??? I went over severaltimes andnowhere I found a line as you mentioned above.

MikeC,
If everything and anything that happens in Kosova has to be approved by Belgrade, than why Belgrade was not able to stop the DI, which according to your logic makes me think that has been approved by Belgrade.

I'd like to see this deal become a reality when there is a majority Serb population living here. Like everything else in Kosovo there needs to be approval from Belgrade for anything to happen.

PRN: "Public enterprises have NO VETO on whether or not privatisation should go ahead. The Kosovo Law on privatisation REGULATES this. Every public enterprises will be privatised, whereas background noises pro/against are common grapewine. PERIOD"


Actually, Kosovo is regulated by EULEX, and EULEX's mandate states that it has to operate under the UN umbrella.

The UN does not recognise Kosovo as a state but does recognise its own Res 1244 which states that Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia. That means that the UN and EULEX must negotiate on any move such as this with the government of Serbia.

As somebody else said, all eyes are watching now, and those greedy little hands will have to wait a bit longer before being wrapped in ski mits.

"Kosovo does not belong to Serbia by international law (1244) it was a part of Jugoslavia...since that entity does not exist the people of 'Kosovo have the right to a referendum to shape their destiny."
(SHQIPERIA, 9 December 2009 18:13)

So how many times does one have to point out that Serbia is a successor to FRY before people like you grap it?

You have heard to time and time again but yet you still write.
Please do enlighten yourself before you come here again.

Just a thought; They can privatise all they like, but who will go skiing in Kosovo? Europeans not, because they are too afraid to step foot on kosovan soil, Serbians, from Serbia, will probably not because of the same reason, as well as that there are many ski centres in Serbia, Bulgaria and the rest of Europe to choose from and Kosovars will not because because after privatisation it will become too expensive to use. Still Freit will probably have arranged a free ski pass for this season, so he can have the slopes to himself. Good luck mate.

It is Kosovo's not Serbia's asset actually.
(Ian, UK, 9 December 2009 15:36)

But Kosovo is a Serbian province!

"The UN does not recognise Kosovo as a state but does recognise its own Res 1244 which states that Kosovo legally remains a province of Serbia."

I thought UNSC Res 1244 said that Kosovo was apart of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, while Kosovo was temporarily administrated by the UN. Yugoslavia no longer exists and Kosovo is no longer temporarily administrated by the UN.

"Yugoslavia no longer exists and Kosovo is no longer temporarily administrated by the UN."
(Ian, UK, 9 December 2009 16:36)

Ian, I thought you would grasp this by now since you've been around here for a very long time. Serbia is a successor to Yugoslavia therefore Kosovo is part of Serbia. You know all this. Why go around writing this rubbish and making yourself look like a fool?

I know you would love to belive your own words but even you must know that your words are just wishes and not fact. That's even been pointed out in ICJ and nobody challenged it.

Who has actually given this thief permission to dispose of Serbia's assets?
(Peggy, 9 December 2009 10:56)
--
From day one that all telling surname, Feith, had the right sound but spelt backwards.

Now since they will be forced to work with the EU and Belgrade, those greedy little hands will be watched carefully. I expect this will need to be kept in Serbia's control before we agree to anything. Also, it will need to create employment for Serbians in the area, since we form the majority in Štrpce.

Serbia may put a bid on the resort. It can use the money it saved when it agreed not to pay the part of its foreign debt related to Kosovo. Around $500 million.

Serbia is not the successor state to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) like Russia is to the USSR. Serbia created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with Montenegro in 1992.

UNSCR 1244 refers to FRY, which is now Serbia through a name change and the independence of Montenegro.

Here is a timeline of events:

1. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was established on 28 April 1992 by Serbia and Montenegro.

2. UNSCR 1244 was adopted by the Security Council at its 4011th meeting, on 10 June 1999. This resolution refers to FRY (created 28 April 1992).

3. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, after applying for membership, was admitted to the UN on 1 November 2000.

4. On 4 February 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had its official name changed to Serbia and Montenegro.

5. Montenegro declared itself independent from the Serbian and Montenegrin union on 3 June 2006.

6. On the same day, the President of Serbia informed the United Nations Secretary-General that the membership of Serbia and Montenegro in the UN was being continued by Serbia.

There was never any dispute about Serbia continuing what began as FRY. However, there is a dispute about FRY being the successor state to Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia but this is a completely different matter.

So where 1244 refers to FRY, it now means Serbia as has been confirmed by many participants in the ICJ case.

This is why IMF fought a dirty money war on Yugoslavia and this is why they overthrew president Milosevic and chopped up the country for anglo-american companies.

To privatize common property and gain from the profits, feith is simply doing what he´s supposed to do, much like the american governor in occupied iraq did.

PRN:
“Public enterprises have NO VETO on whether or not privatisation should go ahead. The Kosovo Law on privatisation REGULATES this. Every public enterprises will be privatized”

Kosova is just as perfectly entitled to have a rubbish “law” such as this, and you are as entitled as any other citizen to support a law that transfers public assets into the hands of a few wealthy money-grubbers, due to some kind of innocent infatuation with such brazen 19th century ideology. However, in a democratic society, people who oppose rubbish laws are also entitled to campaign against these laws and their implementation, whether you choose to call that a “veto” or not. And that can be any citizens of Kosovo/a, whether Albanian or Serb; actually Vetevendosje's recent pronouncements have included denunciations of neo-liberalism and selling the country. Good for them.

Go East:
“This is why IMF fought a dirty money war on Yugoslavia and this is why they overthrew president Milosevic and chopped up the country for anglo-american companies”

How amazing is the Milosevic fan club. So when Milosevic privatized Serbian Telecom, selling it to foreign interests in a deal brokered by none other than former UK foreign minister Doug Hurd and his Nat-West Industries (the first of the former Yugo republics to privatize its Telecom); when he put up the Beocin cement works for sale, when he sold Galenika, the largest pharmaceutical firm in Serbia, to an American company, in the largest privatisation to date in former Yugoslavia, when he offered up Trepca and all the rest of Kosova to privatization in 1998, well, all that proved that he was “fighting imperialism,” but now, in 2009, when … a ski resort … is to be privatized, well that shows that Slobo was junked a decade ago so that western companies could get their hands on the assets of the region. Geez, you guys twist tales to prove that the leadership that wrecked Yugoslavia actually had some redeeming features.

Terry, your parroting fascion for George Soros Otpor & €USSR is outdated and has never been anything but fairy tales propaganda and empire hubris.

Serbs are not idiots you know, they wont fall for the same trick twice.Thats why they are force feeding us with the same "soon you will all be rich vote €U" in all (soros) media

Ron,

It safe to say that Kosovo is much more than a province. To be a province you have to be under the control of the parent country, we all know Serbia has had no control for over a decade.

Serbia also does not regulate laws, taxes, education, etc.

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

When 1244 was passed Jugoslavia existed. That entity disappeared while Kosovo remained neither attached nor independent. Serbia adopted a new constitution without any consent (esp Kosovars) and declared it was the successor state of Jugo. Kosovo does not belong to Serbia by international law (1244) it was a part of Jugoslavia...since that entity does not exist the people of 'Kosovo have the right to a referendum to shape their destiny.

Yugoslavia no longer exists and Kosovo is no longer temporarily administrated by the UN.
(Ian, UK, 9 December 2009 16:36)
--
Now, you have given me a great idea. Based on your logic I can go and take out as many credit cards as I please, take out loans and spend it all. Now I only need to change my name for the debt to be wiped clean?

To summarise what Zoran is saying.
When part of SFRY Serbia abolished the autonomy of Kosovo, then together with Montenegro created FRY without the consent of Kosovo people and when the FRY disolved they inheritet Kosovo from FRY still without the consent of Kosovo people.
To maket more interesting is that fact that Montenegro which was part of FRY recognised Kosovo as a state.
Am I missing something or this thing is just bizarre. For Serbia to inherit Kosovo it has to have the consent of Montenegro.Right????
Now, as far as Kosovar people are concerned FRY never existed for them but only SFRY. This was stated by Jordan in the court.

I'd like to see this deal become a reality when there is a majority Serb population living here. Like everything else in Kosovo there needs to be approval from Belgrade for anything to happen.
(MikeC, 9 December 2009 11:56)

Just a reality check, last year some 800 thousand K-Alb spent thier summer in Albanian coast, 6 times more that 5 years ago. In a matter of a few years, Kosovo and Albania will become one market, and function as one state. K-Alb new generation will grow up having no relation to Serbia whatsoever, none of them will speak Serbian, or have any links to Serbia, or know anything about Serbia other than its hate for them ..... thier focus will be Tirana, cause Serbia has closed the doors and tries to isolate Kosovo. Very smart move indeed.

@ Mike -

"where can I go for an awesome ski vacation this year? Switzerland? Austria? Italy? No wait, I know! Kosovo!"

Exactly!
"Early to bed,
Early to rise,
Work like hell and
Advertise!"

(Remember?)

.
(Zoran, 10 December 2009 14:30)

Made up stories really, ok then let us live in our made up story and you live with Kosovo as part of Serbia.

Come to Kosovo and see how much Kosovo is Serbia. If this is what you want and makes you happy come see how much Cirilic is on the streets, maybe a Yugo will give you the hint it was part of it SRFJ or FRY.

You know what's funny? Feith is going to be making enemies on all sides.

Here we see him attempting to privatize a ski resort in Strpce that I can only imagine gets less that 50 visitors all year. I agree with Terry's post below: who in their right mind, except for the real locals, would think "where can I go for an awesome ski vacation this year? Switzerland? Austria? Italy? No wait, I know! Kosovo!" He can try to privatize, but who would buy it? So Feith ends up making Serbs angry.

But wasn't it not one month ago that Feith also decided to start privatizing Kosovo's political entities by carving out four more Serbian municipalities, much to the ire of Albanians? And weren't Serbs all supportive of that?

Feith's heart may be in the right place (wherever that is), but he's shaping up to be an equal-opportunity annoyer - especially if the privatization deal goes through and it's bought by some Russian company

Please do enlighten yourself before you come here again.
(Peggy, 9 December 2009 19:36)

Petty little insults won't help your cause. Serbia dissolved Jugoslavia and created Serbia & Montenegro...when that was dissolved in 2006 by Montenegro's DOI than Serbia declared it was the successor state of Jugoslavia....that makes no sense. By logical sense Serbia could have declared the successor state of SCG, or Serbia & Mont' are the successor states but not successor state of JUGOSLAVIA.

No offense to my highly esteemed colleagues, but all this dizzying talk abut fry and sfry and god knows pre-s fry... reminded me of that wonderfully sardonic piece from "Hair" (yes, back in the day...):

"LBJ took the IRT
down to 4th street USA
When he got there, what did he see?
The youth of America on LSD.

LBJ, IRT
USA, LSD

LSD, LBJ
FBI, CIA

F-B-I-C-I-A
L-S-D;
Eh-eh-el...Be...Jay..."

well, maybe at least ataman will enjoy and "get" this dated little parody.

actually back in my day, in detroit, it became: "tricky dick" and "Woodward ave".

oh how we love our (post) modern acronyms.

anyway, despite which reincarnation of FRY that you refer to, from king peter to slob-o thru the current crop, we ain't play'en that tune again. ever.

so get on board with independence, or pls move off the platform...

ciao! roberto
frisco

ps the iconic musical "Hair" was performed nearly every day in my beloved sarajevo, during the almost 4 year siege, which was one of those spontaneous cultural manifestations that helped those brave people to carry on, despite all odds. and for a short while, while visiting the city, our dear Joan Baez joined them, and is still remembered fondly for it.

Vini got it spot on and this is exactly the whole in the otherwise very neat-looking history that Zoran has laid out. As Kosovo's correct constitutional status - as a federal unit in its own right with near republic status - had been illegally and militarily suppressed by Milosevic in 1989-90, Kosovo was not in any position to decide whether or not to join the new state (FRY) in 1992. If given a choice, it may have chosen to not join, or at most to join as a thrid federal unit. Without such a choice, the rest of Zoran's largely correct account is therefore irrelevant as far as Kosovo goes.

It doesn't matter what you guys want to dream up and justify. This has nothing to do with 1974 or SFRY or musicals or even your highly developed imagination.

What matters is international law and Kosovo is still recognised today as part of Serbia. If you believed otherwise then why would you even need to declare independence? Independence from what? Your made up stories?

UNSCR 1244 was based on Kosovo being within FRY and all of the UN agreed to it. That includes the US, France, and UK.

Go Home mr Feith!! You can privatize Netherlands property, but not Serbian.

But Vini, Kosovo was clearly part of the Republic of Serbia from 1945 onwards and is specifically mentioned as such in the 1974 SFRY constitution.