Kosovo: News, Politics & Issues

[Risto the Great]

Epirot, can you explain why the majority of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia need to agree on changing anything of national interest in Macedonia in relation to its constitution (amongst other things)? Can you tell me how that aligns with rights for Albanians in accordance with "numbers" as you put it?

You never responded to my previous reply on the same topic. I will assume you either don't know enough about the minority rights for ethnic Albanians in Macedonia or you are purposely pretending to be naive.

[Pelister]

Human values are above everything, including state affairs

I think your right about the new motto. I wonder how the parents of that five year old Lybian boy and four year old Lybian girl feel, when a U.S bomb killed them. Necesarry casaulties of U.S humanitarianism? I don't think so.

The U.S if full of shite. There is something rotten over there, when the CIA position can be the deciding factor in who gets bombed, or what side they take in a war.

[Risto the Great]

Kosovo Government pays for lobbying ten times more than Serbia

http://english.blic.rs/News/7618/Kosovo-Government-pays-for-lobbying-ten-times-more-than-Serbia

BELGRADE - Former American President Bill Clinton and Finland’s Nobel Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari accepted invitation by Kosovo authorities to lobby for recognition of Kosovo independence.

For the purpose of intensified diplomatic activity about ten million Dollars have been collected ‘what is ten times more than the money being allocated by Serbia’, as ‘Blic’ was told by sources from Serbian Foreign Ministry.

Belgrade is following this initiative with utmost attention since significant increase in number of countries recognizing Kosovo ‘would have negative effects on political atmosphere in which the ongoing negotiating dialog is taking place’.

The period until the end of September filled with large number of important multilateral meetings with participation of majority of Islamic and African countries that have not recognized Kosovo ‘shall be critical for Serbia’ according from the sources from this ministry.

Kosovo media reported in recent days that ‘Pristina is on the way to finalize official strategy for lobbying’ and that ‘the chief protagonists of the forthcoming several-month mission are Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, the first Deputy Prime Minister Bedzet Pacoli and Foreign Minister Enver Hodzaj’.

As ‘Blic’ learns Serbian diplomacy has been informed by ‘friendly messages’ that Pacoli has secured half of the requested money, i.e. five million Dollars, while the remaining five were provided by the Albanian Diaspora. Pacoli has been already on tour to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It is also generally known fact that diplomatic representatives of America, Great Britain and France are permanently engaged on lobbying for Kosovo independence since the International Court of Justice had made its advisory opinion last year.

Serbian Government is primarily relying on regular diplomatic activities, the Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Serbian diplomatic representative offices worldwide than on engaging individual lobbyists abroad.

In Europe Serbia has not engaged a single lobbying agency for its policy. In the USA the Government has engaged the ‘Advanced Practical Solutions LLC’ from Chicago for one million Dollars yearly.

As PR with media Serbia has engaged ‘Jay Footlik’. According to American sources the Foreign Ministry is paying this agency 281,420 Dollars.
Until so far 75 countries have recognized Kosovo.

‘A very difficult period in which increased pressures is going to be made on countries and international institutions to recognize Kosovo is ahead of us. It is very important for us to resist those pressures using all legal and diplomatic means. Until so far we have managed to achieve success not expected by many’, Vuk Jeremic, Serbian Foreign Minister says for ‘Blic’.

‘This action shall not improve Kosovo position significantly since Kosovo cannot become member of the UN without decision by the Security Council. Also Kosovo cannot sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU without approval by five EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo. It is possible that this action is aimed to diminish negative effects of Dick Marti’s report over human organ trafficking which is to be debated by the UN SC.

It is pity that Serbia is not using more some other reports in its favor such as the one by the International Crisis Group which concludes that partition of Kosovo would not have negative effects on Bosnia/Herzegovina and Macedonia’, Vladimir Todoric of the Center for new politics and also member of Foreign policy council of the Foreign Ministry says for ‘Blic’.

Well, initially I thought this was interesting. Then I read the highlighted section about our "friends" at the ICG. A statement like that above is utterly ridiculous, but we all know that.

[Soldier of Macedon]

The whole Kosovo situation is a pitiful mess.

[Volk]

Risto, is it that ridiculous? The process of ethnically 'clean' states has already started with the breakup of yugoslavia and we are still witnessing it now.

The assimilation of the Macedonians in the occupied regions is no coincidence.

I dont see why you would think its so ridiculous... With Kosovo partition, that question will be closed and the attention will go to Macedonia. The dream of Greater Albania is not something to be swept under the rug.

[MKPrilep]

once more interesting how the albanian diaspora stick together and collect five million dollars (most likely with drugs and weapons) to reach their goals, and ours can not even afford the money for a church here
in germany because everyone is too cheap.

[Soldier of Macedon]

The dream of Greater Albania is not something to be swept under the rug.

How would you suggest that it is tackled?

[Volk]

How would you suggest that it is tackled?

Comes down to preparation: intelligence, militarily, diplomatically and economically.

Intelligence (knowing the status of the enemy)
Military (having the resources, training and planning to deal with a prolonged war)
diplomatically (having as many people on our side)- including the IC as a major factor, the Albanians would have funding from many sides including the Saudis
economically (making sure the economy will not collapse in the case of a war)

Of course at the moment the only 'preparation' we have is appeasement..

[Risto the Great]

Risto, is it that ridiculous? The process of ethnically 'clean' states has already started with the breakup of yugoslavia and we are still witnessing it now.

The assimilation of the Macedonians in the occupied regions is no coincidence.

I dont see why you would think its so ridiculous... With Kosovo partition, that question will be closed and the attention will go to Macedonia. The dream of Greater Albania is not something to be swept under the rug.

The ICG concluded that the partition of Kosovo would not have negative effects on Bosnia/Herzegovina and Macedonia.

The ICG statement is ridiculous. Any talk of partitions in the Balkans will ALWAYS have negative effects on Macedonia.

You actually agree with me but you are yet to understand what I was referring to.

[George S.]

The serbs can't be happy with kosovo being taken away & not having any say in their "homeland".Really they can't do much whils't they got nato on their necks.I haven't heard of any opposition from the serb govt.

[Zarni]

Border posts on Fire in Kosovo

Has anyone noticed the violonce running in Kosovo in the last few hours.

I see the Western Press demonising of the Serbs and ommitting important facts is just the same as it was 20 years ago.

Both sides ban the exhange of goods in that border region Macedonia has opened yet two more border crossings for export of Macedonian products exploiting you hope the sistuation or just being told what to do

[Voltron]

I noticed, I was going to post it too but rather wanted to see if someone else would post the news. Actually this time from what I read so far, its the Albanians getting the rap for the operation. It seems similar as to how Georgia was trying to re-assert its authority over Ossetia and Abkhazia but failed. This time the Kossovars aka Albanians tried to re-assert its authority to the north but as you can see the Serbs are not taking it lying down. This may just inflame the whole situation all over again.

[Bill77]

Has anyone noticed the violonce running in Kosovo in the last few hours.

I see the Western Press demonising of the Serbs and ommitting important facts is just the same as it was 20 years ago.

Both sides ban the exhange of goods in that border region Macedonia has opened yet two more border crossings for export of Macedonian products exploiting you hope the sistuation or just being told what to do

This has been going in the last few Days where the Ethnic Albanian government sent police over to take control of the Serb held side. A Kosovar policeman was killed and some were injured when Serb citizens opened fire. The EU did condem the Kosovo Gov actions for sending police over to the Serb side, But todays reports are sounding the west is changing its tune.

Kosovo PM backs deadly move into Serb-runnorth

Pristina, 27 July 2011 (MIA) - Kosovo's Prime Minister has defended an order for his special police to take control of two contested border crossings with Serbia, saying it was "the right decision" despite condemnation from the European Union, AP reports.

Hashim Thaci said the operation in which a member of the police unit died and four others were slightly injured was a "concrete step in establishing the rule of law" in the volatile north.

"We cannot remain indifferent and allow that a part of our territory remains a black hole, not only for Kosovo, but for Europe as well," Thaci told reporters. He did not respond to questions.

Lightly armed special police units crossed into the Serb-run north late Monday and early Tuesday in an operation aimed at placing troops loyal to the capital Pristina in a region that takes orders from Serbia as part of Belgrade's ongoing campaign to undermine Kosovo's 2008 secession.

Serb officials want Kosovo's ethnic Albanian police to fully withdraw from the Serb-run north and leave Serb members of the force to man the border crossings.

Pristina, however, wants to assert control over the north and enforce a ban on goods from Serbia to counter years of a similar boycott by Belgrade in response to Kosovo's 2008 secession -- which Serbia does not recognize.

Monday's move by Kosovo's police unit was met with condemnation from the European Union. It said the police action was done unilaterally and the 27-member bloc did not approve, while its 3,000-strong rule of law mission was quick to distance itself from the action.

In Washington, President Barack Obama's administration criticized Kosovo for taking control of the crossings without coordinating with the international community, but he fell short of condemning the action itself.

The overnight operation has highlighted lingering differences within international organizations struggling to act together in Kosovo's north.

Meanwhile, the International Civilian Office -- a body of Western countries, including the United States, that oversee Kosovo's independence -- said Pristina is "entitled to take steps to ensure proper administration including border and customs control."

Thaci said cooperation with Kosovo's Western backers was important, but the country's laws and sovereignty "go beyond any loyalty."

Kosovo says it now controls two borders crossings with Serbia that were previously loosely managed by both EU police and Serb members of the Kosovo police.

The previous controlling forces had refused to take orders from the capital, Pristina, for fear of irritating Serbs that dominate Kosovo's north.

NATO's Kosovo commander, Maj. Gen. Erhard Buehler is leading efforts to resolve the impasse that has added further tension to already fragile relations between the two former foes, NATO spokesman Cpt. Hans Wichter said.

Buehler was believed to have secured a withdrawal of special police units from the two border crossings as part of a deal reached with Kosovo authorities. Pristina denied any deal was reached.

Throughout Tuesday there were reports of shootouts and skirmishes between police and local Serbs, but the claims could not be independently verified.

An ethnic Albanian policeman identified as Enver Zymberi died late Tuesday from injuries sustained when his unit was ambushed by Serbs angry at the police operation. sk/fd/9:11

[Onur]

But todays reports are sounding the west is changing its tune.

West never changes their tune while 100s of secret agents walking in Kosovo freely and while Albanians running around with US flags, cheering for it, kissing the flag.

Why they would let anti-American Serbs to gain upper hand in there? Why risk the situation with them? Do they look like idiots? imho, nope!!!

[Risto the Great]

If you are an ethnic Albanian in western Macedonia, you too will get support from USA. I can't stand the hypocrisy but I like THIS precedent. Whatever it takes to secure one's borders ....

Whatever the initial press releases were saying, it is the Serbs who are now being blamed.