UN Security Council meets to discuss Kosovo

"the crisis that started late July with Kosovo Albanians attempt to seize by force two administrative crossings"

This is not really objective reporting. and is focused on ethnic issues, rather than state structures. What happened is as follows: Police moved to secure border checkpoints. During this process one policeman was murdered by a criminal using a rifle with telescopic sights. While the police returned to their base, a mob attacked border posts, inflicted criminal damage and burnt it to the ground. This criminal activity was a repetition of an earlier criminal incident when border posts were burnt down by a mob following the declaration of independence.

By removing ethnic tags, such as "Kosovo Albanian" and "Serb" from the narrative, one can see that this is a rule of law issue on the one side, and criminal behaviour on the other. While highly politicized reporting with a strong xenophobic and ethnic bias can be expected from Belgrade's yellow or tabloid press, it is very disappointing that B92, which was known and funded as an independent voice of media freedom during the Milosevic regime has allowed its English language version to be dogged by the kind of issues, discourse and headlines that favour a hegeomonically-inclined nationalism which by its logic led to gross violations of human rights in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo throughout the 1990s. At the same time, it is sad to see the senior members of the DS posture before the UN in attempt to make the electorate believe that Kosovo is not "lost" and that they are somehow "defending it" by blaming the Kosovo authorites. Much sound and fury signifying nothing more than an attempt by the DS to buttress their nationalist credentials.

Rodger...

so you say the northern minorities report to Belgrade and when Pristina took over the border posts the Government was provoking the Serbs....

answer me this:

if Presheva valley starts "reporting" to Pristina and Belgrade decides to step in to end criminality, contraband, and lawlessness, well is Belgrade's move provoking the Presheva Valley Albanians?


Thanks,
(KOSO, 30 August 2011 18:18)

You asked a very easy question to answer:

Kosovo and Presevo valley belongs to Serbia (country of Serbia) according to Serbia and the vast majority in the world + United Nations UNSC 1244.
It will take a long time from now due to all trouble, but mark my words, sooner or later, Pristina will report to Belgrade. (As I said it will take a long time and neither you or me will ever see Kosovo as a country. 100%.)

Poor rodger... trying to be so articulate thinking people are going to listen to his words of wisdom.

The Serbs in the North report to Belgrade. When the police from Pristina came and tried to take control of the borders in the north it was clear they were provoking things.

It's unacceptable to do this in Serbia. Serbians won't pay tax for sending goods to their citizens in North Kosovo - it's simple.

Croatia/Bosnia/Kosovo bla bla bla. Do you think the Serbian citizens didn't endure things just like the others? Seriously if there is any bias on B92 it's coming from people just like you.

Serbia has a lot of support world wide from great ambassadors such as Novak Djokovic who many people see a good human being who represents the majority of serbian people and not what they see on the news i.e. only bad things.

People are more inquisitive and don't are more curious to find the truth and don't just read a headline and believe straight away.... Serbs have always been like this but many other countries e.g. America have always been so ignorant about world politics/issues and don't know the real situations.

People like you are finished... you are like the VCR.. it's had its day, and now its useless.

I can't wait for you to experience the next decades and see how things have changed and see Serbia moving forward, far further than you in your short sighted mind would have ever envisioned.

Rodger...

so you say the northern minorities report to Belgrade and when Pristina took over the border posts the Government was provoking the Serbs....

answer me this:

if Presheva valley starts "reporting" to Pristina and Belgrade decides to step in to end criminality, contraband, and lawlessness, well is Belgrade's move provoking the Presheva Valley Albanians?


Thanks,

God bless America... is that how it goes?....The American Indian, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile, Guatamala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan, Krajina, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo.Have I missed any? Well America when God hands out his blessings I have feeling the box is going to be empty when you get to the front of the queue.

The name of the Kosovo FM should be written "Enver Hoxhaj" in English texts, according to the Albanian orthography which uses Latin alphabet.

"By removing ethnic tags, such as "Kosovo Albanian" and "Serb" from the narrative, one can see that this is a rule of law issue on the one side, and criminal behaviour on the other. "
(Roger, 30 August 2011 11:02)

That's how the Kosovo Albanian government is arguing. Of course, there's ome truth in it. On the other hand: The actions would be much more credible if the very government that is acting would be clean instead of formed after heavily manipulated elections and if they would finally start to fight the much more blatent crimininal structures present in the heart of Kosovo. But since this doesn't happen, the 'ethnic tags' will shine through.

So, I'm asking you: What do you consider more important? To eliminate 'smuggling' (which is more like importing/transferring fuel and food from Serbia) or to fight clans that provide whole Europe with drugs? Or to fight corrupt politicians who transfer donor money/money from the state budget to their relatives and clan members?

Roger by removing ethnic tags is similar to what Belgrade's media under Milosevic did. Reports at the time spoke of the army being attacked by terrorists. There was also many reports about illegal para institutions in Kosovo. Kosovo had illegal institutions in health, education and so on.

Its easy to use or to try to hide behind some theory about how media reports should describe things to advance one's position on a subject. But its also easy to see through the theory when you apply it to other situations.

The only reason you want to talk about criminality, rather than mention ethnic groups is because currently that benefits your position. But take it back 15 years and you would have a different view. Not exactly a principled position is it?

I'm interested in how this debate will pan out. It seems to me that the UN is last to react to what is going on on the ground in Kosovo. As an institution its looking out of touch. When member states push the UN around too much you have to wonder what is the point of the organisation. Even a slight statement of independence from the likes of Moon would restore at least some credibility.

Kosovo - who came to exist due to partition,...now disavows any partition? Is this irony at its best?

is this the beginning of some sort of preparation that will lead to one big boom that starts on balkans? green thumg for yes, red thumb for no. thanks.

So, I'm asking you: What do you consider more important? To eliminate 'smuggling' (which is more like importing/transferring fuel and food from Serbia) or to fight clans that provide whole Europe with drugs? Or to fight corrupt politicians who transfer donor money/money from the state budget to their relatives and clan members?
(Top, 30 August 2011 20:39)
So do you ask these questions of countries around the world. Is it more important to crack down on drug trafficking or internal govt corruption. Is it more important to crack down on domestic violence or ethnical violence, etc. The answer is if you are not focused on all aspects then you do not have a functioning legal system.
As to the raiding of donor coffers and transferring to pockets of their families and clan members. You have some evidence of this? I have not seen any international investigations alleging this. Also a big question is what has happened to the millions that Serbia says it is pouring into Serbia. Apparently it is not arriving, or the people would be living very upscale lives. Is it lining the pockets of Serbian authorities or is it merely propaganda from the govt of Serbia and this money does not exist?
You know yourself that the crackdown on smuggling into Kosovo from SErbia is merely a bargaining chip since Serbia has refused to honor the Kosovo stamp(which has been accepted by the EU, UNMIK-therefore the UN as acceptable)
Whether Kosovo is an independent country or if it were an autonomous province of Serbia, north Kosovo's legal leaders would be in Pristina.
Autonomous means self governing and as long as north Kosovo is inside Kosovo it would report to Pristina and not Belgrade, so I cannot see Serbia's point.

I agree with rogers.
amean how can the prishtina authorities provoke the serbs, when historicaly and many and many decades north was part of kosovo, and it is, one think i would sugest mr jeremic, is instead of trying to destabilize the situation in the north, to tell the serbs the true, that there is no more serbia in kosovo, but for their own good, to accept the legitime institutions of kosovo, and start makin a life guys.
b92 pls do not ignore my comments, according my nationality or country.

"Roger by removing ethnic tags is similar to what Belgrade's media under Milosevic did. Reports at the time spoke of the army being attacked by terrorists. There was also many reports about illegal para institutions in Kosovo. Kosovo had illegal institutions in health, education and so on."
(bganon, 30 August 2011 15:48)

History repeating. Parallel structures, removing persons of the other ethnicity from public jobs, sending special forces, calling persons of other ethnicity who oppose the state 'terrorists' - all seen before. Thaci and Milosevic are indeed very similar with their actions, and likely they have the same goal: An ethnic clean country.

Part of me wishes the Albs get away with this theft so the US and EU have to deal with them, keep pouring in good money after bad, and try to establish democracy in an area that has never understood it. As is they don't have enough on their plates.

"If they use UNMIK-Kosovo customs stamps, if they use documents that they have been using since joining CEFTA, we will not prevent imports from Kosovo," he was quoted as saying."

Sorry Vuk, but that's your opinion that nobody is obliged to follow. UN has repeatedly said that the "Kosovo Customs" stamps are in line with 1244 and CEFTA provisions. UN has not asked Kosovo to use the "UNMIK-Kosovo Customs" stamp.

So, the Kosovo's "unilateral" move to block goods with Serbia's stamps is as much unilateral as Serbia's move to block goods with Kosovo Customs stamps. So, at this point the move is bilateral and there is nothing that is unilateral for the UNSC to condemn.

staff...You seem to think of UN as an ominous force; a God like structure.


Keep dreaming!







Thanks,

Why is Serbia wasting millions in trying to convice the world that Kosovo is Serbia...Nobody is listening-get over it. Kosovo is dead issue the decent thing the Serbian gov. can do is to focus on better neighbourly relations than creating drama's for everyone. The big 4 the U.S. Germany, France & U.K recognised Kosovo as a independent, that's all that matters.

I can't wait for you to experience the next decades and see how things have changed and see Serbia moving forward, far further than you in your short sighted mind would have ever envisioned.
(Rodger-dodger, 30 August 2011 14:55)

Changes in the decades to come...

When you look up barbarism a picture of Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic will appear.


The map of the world will show a landlocked state called Serbia which has recognized it's neighbor to the south Kosova.

The Serbian population will be four million and Kosova's population will be four million.

"The answer is if you are not focused on all aspects then you do not have a functioning legal system. "
(a New Day, 30 August 2011 21:24)

That was my point: A real legal system should focus everything - which is not happening in Kosovo. And in case someone says: We have are in the process of building a legal system, we don't have the manpower to do everything at once, then I think it's smart to focus on severe crimes first.

"As to the raiding of donor coffers and transferring to pockets of their families and clan members. You have some evidence of this? ot see Serbia's point.
(a New Day, 30 August 2011 21:24)

Not that way, of course: A state has public expenses. It gives projects to private companies, for example, for building a street, a public building, providing some service, whatever. If the responsible state officials are giving these projects to companies belonging to some clan members (which usually is combined with too much high offers for the project), then you have the 'transfer' I meant: The states is paying too much compared to the real value it gets in return, the additional money is the bargain. Another case is giving well payed public jobs to family members. If I remember correctly, a cousin of Thaci became the KEK electric company boss. I'm sure only because he's a very qualified electrical engineer :)

God bless America... is that how it goes?....The American Indian, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile, Guatamala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan, Krajina, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo.Have I missed any? Well America when God hands out his blessings I have feeling the box is going to be empty when you get to the front of the queue.
(miles, 30 August 2011 22:58)
Imagine following the balkan wars, a Serbian with the audacity to say such.

Kosovo and Presevo valley belongs to Serbia (country of Serbia) according to Serbia and the vast majority in the world + United Nations UNSC 1244.
It will take a long time from now due to all trouble, but mark my words, sooner or later, Pristina will report to Belgrade. (As I said it will take a long time and neither you or me will ever see Kosovo as a country. 100%.)
(Staff, 30 August 2011 20:47)

FYI, at least 109 countries said that Kosovo is a country when they voted to admit it as a member of WB and IMF. From your posting it appears that world has, at least, 219 countries !

As for 1244, it does not need much comment, beside the fact the Kosovo's UDI is in accordance with 1244 and indeed Kosovo has include 1244 in its UDI and Constitution and it's thus one of the strongest supporters of 1244.

Kosovo - who came to exist due to partition,...now disavows any partition? Is this irony at its best?
(david, 30 August 2011 22:02)

Not at all... because Kosovo's UDI is in accordance with international law. On the other hand, international law says that Kosovo is an undivided territory.

Kosovo is dead issue the decent thing the Serbian gov. can do is to focus on better neighbourly relations than creating drama's for everyone. The big 4 the U.S. Germany, France & U.K recognised Kosovo as a independent, that's all that matters.
(Bam Bam, 31 August 2011 04:35)

Everything would be fine and dandy for your land grab except for a number of small matters:

UN Resolution 1244 & Helsinki Agreement 1976, i.e. International Law, the EU 5, China, Russia, the BRIC as well as a host of influential states and intranational organisations and bodies who disagree with your UDD which prevents you from joining the UN, EU, NATO and not to mention the trump card that Belgrade holds.

The Rhodesians thought they could pull that trick back in 1965 but eventually Ian Smith in the end had to go back to the table to negotiate with the Brits who held the keys. Sooner or later it will dawn on the kleptocrats down Pristina way to do likewise and head back to the table for the chinwag with Boris and Vuk. There is only one way and that is through a final agreement that is acceptable to all sides. Jaw jaw is better than war war and all that jazz. Winston was spot on.

"the crisis that started late July with Kosovo Albanians attempt to seize by force two administrative crossings"

This is not really objective reporting. and is focused on ethnic issues, rather than state structures. What happened is as follows: Police moved to secure border checkpoints. During this process one policeman was murdered by a criminal using a rifle with telescopic sights. While the police returned to their base, a mob attacked border posts, inflicted criminal damage and burnt it to the ground. This criminal activity was a repetition of an earlier criminal incident when border posts were burnt down by a mob following the declaration of independence.

By removing ethnic tags, such as "Kosovo Albanian" and "Serb" from the narrative, one can see that this is a rule of law issue on the one side, and criminal behaviour on the other. While highly politicized reporting with a strong xenophobic and ethnic bias can be expected from Belgrade's yellow or tabloid press, it is very disappointing that B92, which was known and funded as an independent voice of media freedom during the Milosevic regime has allowed its English language version to be dogged by the kind of issues, discourse and headlines that favour a hegeomonically-inclined nationalism which by its logic led to gross violations of human rights in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo throughout the 1990s. At the same time, it is sad to see the senior members of the DS posture before the UN in attempt to make the electorate believe that Kosovo is not "lost" and that they are somehow "defending it" by blaming the Kosovo authorites. Much sound and fury signifying nothing more than an attempt by the DS to buttress their nationalist credentials.

Rodger...

so you say the northern minorities report to Belgrade and when Pristina took over the border posts the Government was provoking the Serbs....

answer me this:

if Presheva valley starts "reporting" to Pristina and Belgrade decides to step in to end criminality, contraband, and lawlessness, well is Belgrade's move provoking the Presheva Valley Albanians?


Thanks,
(KOSO, 30 August 2011 18:18)

You asked a very easy question to answer:

Kosovo and Presevo valley belongs to Serbia (country of Serbia) according to Serbia and the vast majority in the world + United Nations UNSC 1244.
It will take a long time from now due to all trouble, but mark my words, sooner or later, Pristina will report to Belgrade. (As I said it will take a long time and neither you or me will ever see Kosovo as a country. 100%.)

Poor rodger... trying to be so articulate thinking people are going to listen to his words of wisdom.

The Serbs in the North report to Belgrade. When the police from Pristina came and tried to take control of the borders in the north it was clear they were provoking things.

It's unacceptable to do this in Serbia. Serbians won't pay tax for sending goods to their citizens in North Kosovo - it's simple.

Croatia/Bosnia/Kosovo bla bla bla. Do you think the Serbian citizens didn't endure things just like the others? Seriously if there is any bias on B92 it's coming from people just like you.

Serbia has a lot of support world wide from great ambassadors such as Novak Djokovic who many people see a good human being who represents the majority of serbian people and not what they see on the news i.e. only bad things.

People are more inquisitive and don't are more curious to find the truth and don't just read a headline and believe straight away.... Serbs have always been like this but many other countries e.g. America have always been so ignorant about world politics/issues and don't know the real situations.

People like you are finished... you are like the VCR.. it's had its day, and now its useless.

I can't wait for you to experience the next decades and see how things have changed and see Serbia moving forward, far further than you in your short sighted mind would have ever envisioned.

Kosovo - who came to exist due to partition,...now disavows any partition? Is this irony at its best?

Rodger...

so you say the northern minorities report to Belgrade and when Pristina took over the border posts the Government was provoking the Serbs....

answer me this:

if Presheva valley starts "reporting" to Pristina and Belgrade decides to step in to end criminality, contraband, and lawlessness, well is Belgrade's move provoking the Presheva Valley Albanians?


Thanks,

I agree with rogers.
amean how can the prishtina authorities provoke the serbs, when historicaly and many and many decades north was part of kosovo, and it is, one think i would sugest mr jeremic, is instead of trying to destabilize the situation in the north, to tell the serbs the true, that there is no more serbia in kosovo, but for their own good, to accept the legitime institutions of kosovo, and start makin a life guys.
b92 pls do not ignore my comments, according my nationality or country.

Roger by removing ethnic tags is similar to what Belgrade's media under Milosevic did. Reports at the time spoke of the army being attacked by terrorists. There was also many reports about illegal para institutions in Kosovo. Kosovo had illegal institutions in health, education and so on.

Its easy to use or to try to hide behind some theory about how media reports should describe things to advance one's position on a subject. But its also easy to see through the theory when you apply it to other situations.

The only reason you want to talk about criminality, rather than mention ethnic groups is because currently that benefits your position. But take it back 15 years and you would have a different view. Not exactly a principled position is it?

I'm interested in how this debate will pan out. It seems to me that the UN is last to react to what is going on on the ground in Kosovo. As an institution its looking out of touch. When member states push the UN around too much you have to wonder what is the point of the organisation. Even a slight statement of independence from the likes of Moon would restore at least some credibility.

So, I'm asking you: What do you consider more important? To eliminate 'smuggling' (which is more like importing/transferring fuel and food from Serbia) or to fight clans that provide whole Europe with drugs? Or to fight corrupt politicians who transfer donor money/money from the state budget to their relatives and clan members?
(Top, 30 August 2011 20:39)
So do you ask these questions of countries around the world. Is it more important to crack down on drug trafficking or internal govt corruption. Is it more important to crack down on domestic violence or ethnical violence, etc. The answer is if you are not focused on all aspects then you do not have a functioning legal system.
As to the raiding of donor coffers and transferring to pockets of their families and clan members. You have some evidence of this? I have not seen any international investigations alleging this. Also a big question is what has happened to the millions that Serbia says it is pouring into Serbia. Apparently it is not arriving, or the people would be living very upscale lives. Is it lining the pockets of Serbian authorities or is it merely propaganda from the govt of Serbia and this money does not exist?
You know yourself that the crackdown on smuggling into Kosovo from SErbia is merely a bargaining chip since Serbia has refused to honor the Kosovo stamp(which has been accepted by the EU, UNMIK-therefore the UN as acceptable)
Whether Kosovo is an independent country or if it were an autonomous province of Serbia, north Kosovo's legal leaders would be in Pristina.
Autonomous means self governing and as long as north Kosovo is inside Kosovo it would report to Pristina and not Belgrade, so I cannot see Serbia's point.

"Roger by removing ethnic tags is similar to what Belgrade's media under Milosevic did. Reports at the time spoke of the army being attacked by terrorists. There was also many reports about illegal para institutions in Kosovo. Kosovo had illegal institutions in health, education and so on."
(bganon, 30 August 2011 15:48)

History repeating. Parallel structures, removing persons of the other ethnicity from public jobs, sending special forces, calling persons of other ethnicity who oppose the state 'terrorists' - all seen before. Thaci and Milosevic are indeed very similar with their actions, and likely they have the same goal: An ethnic clean country.

God bless America... is that how it goes?....The American Indian, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile, Guatamala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan, Krajina, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo.Have I missed any? Well America when God hands out his blessings I have feeling the box is going to be empty when you get to the front of the queue.

is this the beginning of some sort of preparation that will lead to one big boom that starts on balkans? green thumg for yes, red thumb for no. thanks.

"By removing ethnic tags, such as "Kosovo Albanian" and "Serb" from the narrative, one can see that this is a rule of law issue on the one side, and criminal behaviour on the other. "
(Roger, 30 August 2011 11:02)

That's how the Kosovo Albanian government is arguing. Of course, there's ome truth in it. On the other hand: The actions would be much more credible if the very government that is acting would be clean instead of formed after heavily manipulated elections and if they would finally start to fight the much more blatent crimininal structures present in the heart of Kosovo. But since this doesn't happen, the 'ethnic tags' will shine through.

So, I'm asking you: What do you consider more important? To eliminate 'smuggling' (which is more like importing/transferring fuel and food from Serbia) or to fight clans that provide whole Europe with drugs? Or to fight corrupt politicians who transfer donor money/money from the state budget to their relatives and clan members?

God bless America... is that how it goes?....The American Indian, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile, Guatamala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan, Krajina, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo.Have I missed any? Well America when God hands out his blessings I have feeling the box is going to be empty when you get to the front of the queue.
(miles, 30 August 2011 22:58)
Imagine following the balkan wars, a Serbian with the audacity to say such.

Kosovo and Presevo valley belongs to Serbia (country of Serbia) according to Serbia and the vast majority in the world + United Nations UNSC 1244.
It will take a long time from now due to all trouble, but mark my words, sooner or later, Pristina will report to Belgrade. (As I said it will take a long time and neither you or me will ever see Kosovo as a country. 100%.)
(Staff, 30 August 2011 20:47)

FYI, at least 109 countries said that Kosovo is a country when they voted to admit it as a member of WB and IMF. From your posting it appears that world has, at least, 219 countries !

As for 1244, it does not need much comment, beside the fact the Kosovo's UDI is in accordance with 1244 and indeed Kosovo has include 1244 in its UDI and Constitution and it's thus one of the strongest supporters of 1244.

Kosovo - who came to exist due to partition,...now disavows any partition? Is this irony at its best?
(david, 30 August 2011 22:02)

Not at all... because Kosovo's UDI is in accordance with international law. On the other hand, international law says that Kosovo is an undivided territory.

Why is Serbia wasting millions in trying to convice the world that Kosovo is Serbia...Nobody is listening-get over it. Kosovo is dead issue the decent thing the Serbian gov. can do is to focus on better neighbourly relations than creating drama's for everyone. The big 4 the U.S. Germany, France & U.K recognised Kosovo as a independent, that's all that matters.

I can't wait for you to experience the next decades and see how things have changed and see Serbia moving forward, far further than you in your short sighted mind would have ever envisioned.
(Rodger-dodger, 30 August 2011 14:55)

Changes in the decades to come...

When you look up barbarism a picture of Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic will appear.


The map of the world will show a landlocked state called Serbia which has recognized it's neighbor to the south Kosova.

The Serbian population will be four million and Kosova's population will be four million.

The name of the Kosovo FM should be written "Enver Hoxhaj" in English texts, according to the Albanian orthography which uses Latin alphabet.

staff...You seem to think of UN as an ominous force; a God like structure.


Keep dreaming!







Thanks,

"If they use UNMIK-Kosovo customs stamps, if they use documents that they have been using since joining CEFTA, we will not prevent imports from Kosovo," he was quoted as saying."

Sorry Vuk, but that's your opinion that nobody is obliged to follow. UN has repeatedly said that the "Kosovo Customs" stamps are in line with 1244 and CEFTA provisions. UN has not asked Kosovo to use the "UNMIK-Kosovo Customs" stamp.

So, the Kosovo's "unilateral" move to block goods with Serbia's stamps is as much unilateral as Serbia's move to block goods with Kosovo Customs stamps. So, at this point the move is bilateral and there is nothing that is unilateral for the UNSC to condemn.

"The answer is if you are not focused on all aspects then you do not have a functioning legal system. "
(a New Day, 30 August 2011 21:24)

That was my point: A real legal system should focus everything - which is not happening in Kosovo. And in case someone says: We have are in the process of building a legal system, we don't have the manpower to do everything at once, then I think it's smart to focus on severe crimes first.

"As to the raiding of donor coffers and transferring to pockets of their families and clan members. You have some evidence of this? ot see Serbia's point.
(a New Day, 30 August 2011 21:24)

Not that way, of course: A state has public expenses. It gives projects to private companies, for example, for building a street, a public building, providing some service, whatever. If the responsible state officials are giving these projects to companies belonging to some clan members (which usually is combined with too much high offers for the project), then you have the 'transfer' I meant: The states is paying too much compared to the real value it gets in return, the additional money is the bargain. Another case is giving well payed public jobs to family members. If I remember correctly, a cousin of Thaci became the KEK electric company boss. I'm sure only because he's a very qualified electrical engineer :)

Part of me wishes the Albs get away with this theft so the US and EU have to deal with them, keep pouring in good money after bad, and try to establish democracy in an area that has never understood it. As is they don't have enough on their plates.

Kosovo is dead issue the decent thing the Serbian gov. can do is to focus on better neighbourly relations than creating drama's for everyone. The big 4 the U.S. Germany, France & U.K recognised Kosovo as a independent, that's all that matters.
(Bam Bam, 31 August 2011 04:35)

Everything would be fine and dandy for your land grab except for a number of small matters:

UN Resolution 1244 & Helsinki Agreement 1976, i.e. International Law, the EU 5, China, Russia, the BRIC as well as a host of influential states and intranational organisations and bodies who disagree with your UDD which prevents you from joining the UN, EU, NATO and not to mention the trump card that Belgrade holds.

The Rhodesians thought they could pull that trick back in 1965 but eventually Ian Smith in the end had to go back to the table to negotiate with the Brits who held the keys. Sooner or later it will dawn on the kleptocrats down Pristina way to do likewise and head back to the table for the chinwag with Boris and Vuk. There is only one way and that is through a final agreement that is acceptable to all sides. Jaw jaw is better than war war and all that jazz. Winston was spot on.