Church represented at Kosovo committee meeting

What in the world is a religious rep doing in a "secular" government?

What in the world is a religious rep doing in a "secular" government?
(Mikel, 17 October 2012 16:46)

Helping to manage Serbian life and Serbian interests in Kosovo*, which even the Ahtisaari Plan fully acknowledges this particular religious group with considerable powers of authority and administration in Kosovo* to function virtually independent of any secular authority.

Yeah I know, crazy right? But it was part of the package deal that Albanians had to buy in return for international support. So no matter what angle you approach it from, the Serbian side or the international side, the SPC has a say in Kosovo*.

Men dressed in God's cloth, but at same time carrying AK-47. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THEM?

@Balkan Anthropologist, 17 October 2012 17:08)

wow, this is big turn around from you. All of sudden you seem to support Ahtisari's plan.

"Helping to manage Serbian life and Serbian interests in Kosovo*, which even the Ahtisaari Plan fully acknowledges this particular religious group with considerable powers of authority and administration in Kosovo* to function virtually independent of any secular authority."

They want to manage Serbian life and Serbian interests? Just Serbians? Religious figures should not have ANY powers of authority in ANY administration of ANY kind except in the "spiritual administration". It's akin to religion in power in most Arab countries, also Orthodoxy in Greece and Russia et al. Now, I'm not saying that they shouldn't have any rights. But it should be confined at the churches and not in the public administrations.

Yeah I know, crazy right? But it was part of the package deal that Albanians had to buy in return for international support. So no matter what angle you approach it from, the Serbian side or the international side, the SPC has a say in Kosovo*.
(Balkan Anthropologist, 17 October 2012 17:08
What you say COULD be true. The problem is that in order to have the powers guaranteed in the Ahtisaari Plan, the church has to work within the government in Pristina. There activity in Belgrade is useless. The same for Serbs in Kosovo, in order for them to take advantage of the extra powers they have under the Kosovo Constitution they have to work within the govt to exercise those rights.

Like whether you want to say the govt of Kosovo and its constitution are in charge of Kosovo or if you deny it and say that UNMIK is still in control, either way a parliamentary session in Belgrade is just hot air, with no substance.

wow, this is big turn around from you. All of sudden you seem to support Ahtisari's plan.
(Ardi Asllani, 17 October 2012 18:32)

No I support Serbia's right to self representation and self administration in Kosovo*, and if parts of that comes through Ahtisaari's Package, so be it. My referencing the Ahtisaari Plan implies that no matter what angle you approach it from, Belgrade's or the international communities, the Serbian Orthodox Church has a recognized role to play in it, and unlike Belgrade's confusing policy of lumping everything together in one unified package, the Ahtisaari Plan not only clearly demarcates what areas of Kosovo* are part of the SPC's direct control and administration, but basically gives them the ability to manage areas that Belgrade either never thought of or can't reach on its own.

What in the world is a religious rep doing in a "secular" government?

What in the world is a religious rep doing in a "secular" government?
(Mikel, 17 October 2012 16:46)

Helping to manage Serbian life and Serbian interests in Kosovo*, which even the Ahtisaari Plan fully acknowledges this particular religious group with considerable powers of authority and administration in Kosovo* to function virtually independent of any secular authority.

Yeah I know, crazy right? But it was part of the package deal that Albanians had to buy in return for international support. So no matter what angle you approach it from, the Serbian side or the international side, the SPC has a say in Kosovo*.

@Balkan Anthropologist, 17 October 2012 17:08)

wow, this is big turn around from you. All of sudden you seem to support Ahtisari's plan.

"Helping to manage Serbian life and Serbian interests in Kosovo*, which even the Ahtisaari Plan fully acknowledges this particular religious group with considerable powers of authority and administration in Kosovo* to function virtually independent of any secular authority."

They want to manage Serbian life and Serbian interests? Just Serbians? Religious figures should not have ANY powers of authority in ANY administration of ANY kind except in the "spiritual administration". It's akin to religion in power in most Arab countries, also Orthodoxy in Greece and Russia et al. Now, I'm not saying that they shouldn't have any rights. But it should be confined at the churches and not in the public administrations.

Men dressed in God's cloth, but at same time carrying AK-47. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THEM?

Yeah I know, crazy right? But it was part of the package deal that Albanians had to buy in return for international support. So no matter what angle you approach it from, the Serbian side or the international side, the SPC has a say in Kosovo*.
(Balkan Anthropologist, 17 October 2012 17:08
What you say COULD be true. The problem is that in order to have the powers guaranteed in the Ahtisaari Plan, the church has to work within the government in Pristina. There activity in Belgrade is useless. The same for Serbs in Kosovo, in order for them to take advantage of the extra powers they have under the Kosovo Constitution they have to work within the govt to exercise those rights.

Like whether you want to say the govt of Kosovo and its constitution are in charge of Kosovo or if you deny it and say that UNMIK is still in control, either way a parliamentary session in Belgrade is just hot air, with no substance.

wow, this is big turn around from you. All of sudden you seem to support Ahtisari's plan.
(Ardi Asllani, 17 October 2012 18:32)

No I support Serbia's right to self representation and self administration in Kosovo*, and if parts of that comes through Ahtisaari's Package, so be it. My referencing the Ahtisaari Plan implies that no matter what angle you approach it from, Belgrade's or the international communities, the Serbian Orthodox Church has a recognized role to play in it, and unlike Belgrade's confusing policy of lumping everything together in one unified package, the Ahtisaari Plan not only clearly demarcates what areas of Kosovo* are part of the SPC's direct control and administration, but basically gives them the ability to manage areas that Belgrade either never thought of or can't reach on its own.