Kosovo's giant mosh pit
- 18 Feb 08, 12:31 AM
Mother Teresa Street in central Pristina has turned into .
The crowd surges one way and then twists back the other and, for a while, you have to give up all hope of independent movement. From time to time people will clear a small circular space for a spot of traditional dancing to the sinuous local pop music, as the crowd flows either side of them.
It's one way of keeping warm in the freezing weather.
It鈥檚 the second night of partying here, although tonight there are are more families and children. Maybe it鈥檚 the fireworks that are pulling in the crowds although I wouldn鈥檛 take my kids near: it鈥檚 pretty but not particularly safe.
People are lighting rockets, with cigarettes, in the middle of the crowd. Bangers litter the streets and you just have to watch your step, and indeed your ears.
As the night goes on the music policy changes and hip-hop blasts out from nearby the high golden letters spelling out (in English) 鈥淣ewborn鈥.
The crowd is nowhere near so dense here and people are bursting into spontaneous little dances. Of course while it is all rather light-hearted here, not everyone loves the newborn country. In Mitrovica and Belgrade there has been trouble, although buildings, not people, have so far been the targets.
Happiest day
It seems every second person I talk to says it is the happiest day of their life. and they were similarly wild but there wasn鈥檛 the sheer sense of relief and joy.
In Montenegro, the feeling was that they were glad to be shot of a problematic brother, here it's an enemy they are discarding. One local newspaper's front page this morning was a picture of Milosevic, Tito and with the headline underneath a single fruity Anglo-Saxon word followed by YU (punning on you, and Yugoslavia).
A colleague from here says happily 鈥淚 have a state: I am no longer triple X鈥. That apparently was his designation in a British visa when travelling on a UN-issued passport.
People everywhere are wearing T-shirts proclaiming 鈥淣ow I have a state鈥. But my friend raises a question. When he gets his new passport, what if he travels to a country like France that will recognise Kosovo and then goes on within , to Spain, that doesn鈥檛? Is he allowed to do that?
While the crowd partied, Kosovo鈥檚 parliament met to sign the declaration and approve some new laws to make it possible.
They have . It's obvious that this is where Kosovo is heading, but is this appropriate stuff for a declaration of independence?
I haven鈥檛 spoken to any Serbs today, so this is necessarily one-sided. But tomorrow demonstrations are planned in various Serbian towns within Kosovo, so I hope to listen to the other point of view then.
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I don't understand all this.
It's been good 8 years since Milosevic is gone and new democratic governement in Serbia established, so why Kosovars don't want to live with Serbians? Nothing bad happened to them last 7 years so why still want to go alone and take someone elses land?
Who was born there and who came accross the border escaping from Albania's poverty and to feel safe and sound?
Why they have big families with 10 kids?
Why Kosovars didn't want to go to Serbian schools?
I do not know whether to laugh or cry. Having worked in both Bosnia and Kosovo first hand on the ground for 5 years assisting the health and economic reconstruction of these countries, I have many Serb and Kosovar Albanian friends and can see all the arguments. Irrespective of national divides, the Serbs and Kosovans want to have the possibility of conducting normal lives and do not want politics. Let's hope this is the final chapter of the unsavoury recent book on Balkan politics.
Pandora's box has been opened. Enter the new cold war, and very soon WWIII.
America and the european servants have now officialy occupied the land of Serbian Christian churches and monasteries, same way Hitler and Mussolinini did 60 years ago.
Entire planet hates the policies of so called "democratic west". The only place where you have the support is in cocaine factory of Europe, Kosovo.Think about it....
There will never ever be a cocain state, backed by the western military force in the land of Serbian churches and monasteries.
USA will withdraw eventually, and then Serbs will be back, sooner or later.......
I will try to leave a comment, but it seams impossible to get through.
Well done West. Creating big Albania will certainly help to bring peace to Europe. Ignoring the international law.
Who cares. Might is right. Anti Serb propaganda and anti Serb racism is well and alive in USA and EU.
It's nice that the Albanians are so happy, but one really has to wonder just how viable Kosovo would be as a country. At times like this it seems there should be some sort of third option between being attached to one's oppressors and turning into another aid-dependant Bantustan.
Kosova's independence is something that Albanians faught for it with their arsenal and diplomatic means for the last four decades. It makes sense why people are relieved, they were on a limbo but that changed today.As of today, they have a flag, a state and an identity. They are Kosovars that belong to the Republic of Kosova.
A sad day for the reality of life in the region, and a further nail in the coffin of the structure of international law. It astonishes me that the EU has capitulated so easily to US demands for protection of their oil pipeline running through Kosovo, and the silence at the building of the largest US military base in Europe to protect that pipeline. This isn't about Serbian nationalism, or a perceived 'compassion' for a people who have, frankly, bred their way into a majority in Kosovo, and played the victim card at every opportunity. This is about protecting oil resource, plain and simple. We have seen more reports about Albanian people traffickers and drug cartels, than any other national group, or nation, and yet, according to the US, and their European 'friends' , all is forgiven for the sake of oil supply. It's disgraceful.
Russia, Serbia, and other nations in the region have every right to be worried and concerned about this declaration, and once again, the balkan region has the potential to explode into something far worse. Have EU politicans learnt nothing from history?
I don't expect it from US governments, because they have, bluntly, trodden on or ignored every international treaty if it doesn't suit their purposes, or potential for profit.
But Europe should know better.
People in Greece, Macedonia, and other countries adjacent to Albania and Kosovo must be wondering what's going to happen next. Will the US and UK tell them they have to give up part of their countries, in order to appease Albaninan criminals, US oil interests, and corrupt politicans?
A sad and worrying day for many, not just Serbia, and neighbours.
This is not a real independence, i will never recognise it, and i would hope that, unlike reporting about Russia, the 成人快手 finally grows some objectivity, and sees this declaration for what it is. A US and UK government deceit, for profit.
And for those who keep going on about Serb nationalism, and the brutality of the 90's, i would remind you that Milosovic gained power as a direct result of the terror spread by Albanian thugs and murder gangs in the Kosovan province of Serbia, and the pressure by the public in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Greece, and Macedonia to deal with the mass killings of non Albanians, by those with the intent of creating a 'Greater Albania.'
Some objective reflection, and a little historical research would reveal this as fact, not speculation, and not to be dismissed as 'serbian propoganda' by those in Albania and beyond.
It's also laughable that albanian kosovans are attempting to enthuse about the implementation of 'law' in the province, as if they are yearning for it. It's the last thing most albanians in the region want, as so many of them are making too much money from criminal activities.
More victim propoganda.
Over 40% of Albanians are unemployed, and plan to keep it that way. Now they'll get their wish, as the US have protected their pipeline, and expect Europeans to pick up the tab for what will be the world's largest welfare state. Europeans will be paying for Kosovo, and through that region, Albania for generations to come.
A sad day for international law, and the principles of democracy, so often publicly and arrogantly touted by US and UK politicans as their guiding principle.
The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
I'm ashamed to be British, and would hope that Russians will accept me as a democratic refugee trying to escape this profit driven madness.
Your friend from Kosovo will have no more problem crossing from France to Spain then any one elso. In Fact, if he some form of identity document such as a passport, can make himself understood and can do some usefull job, he will can get authorization to do that woork very easily. Spain really needs workers while France appears not to.
The international community may have different views on the unilateral manner in which independence was declared but ultimately - this is how many countries were born.
And another comment: I don't quite understand the Serbs who complain about losing their 'historical birthplace'. After all - would any Serb dare nowadays to settle in a land almost purely ethnically Albanian? I don't think so. So let's get over it.
Borders change throughout history, nothing stays forever.
"Tripple X designation in a British visa"?
What does that mean?
"Plenty of sex, you're not British"?
[I've watched some XXX movies in my life; some of them were British; none of them was made in Kosovo]
FREE SCOTLAND!
FREE NORTH IRELAND!
about the FLAG for those who may not know?!!!
every mp and parlament have the right to choose their own flag even change it every few years if they wish to do so,they just have to have it aproved by majority votes.
for now as we know we are being supervised from EU.we dont mind any piece of cloth as a flag,soon Kosova will join EU and we will share their flag,for the RED AND BLACK WITH DOUBLE HEADED EAGLE will always be in our heart!!!
I want to extend my best wishes for HARADINAJ FAMILY whom made it posible that we enjoy freedom today!
Fatmir Loshi Carrabreg decan
How long until the Muslim areas of Britain start wanting "Independence"? Are the Irish not now entirely justified to ask for Northern Ireland back? Have the SNP not been given yet another gift by the Labour government? I beg Gordon Brown to oppose Kosovon independence as it is simply going to undermine European boundries everywhere. Soon the EU will resemble the Holy Roman Empire: Tiny duchies and petty states all controlled by one centralised authority as an unwieldy mass unfit to carry out anything without there being political strife.
This is a great day for Europe. Kosovo's independence is long overdue. They should have declared independence in 1999 after that serial killer Slobodan Milosevic was defeated. I am happy for the many Kosovan people who have waited so long for this moment. It's a shame Russia is exploiting the situation in Kosovo to try and cause a rift in Georgia but I am still happy for the people of Kosovo and am sure that in the future they will prosper in the smae way that other countries who have suffered from catastrophies (like Armenia) do now.
Xhevdet Hoti wrote:
"Kosova's independence is something that Albanians faught for...."
Indeed.
There is something really quite funny about this whole episode. We have the erstwhile 成人快手 trying as hard as it possibly can to teach the world that the poor victimised KOSOVARS (some of whom are "ethnic albanian") want independence. Meanwhile, every Albanian in Kosovo is waving Albanian flags and celebrating their victory over the hated Serbs.
It is like a scene out of monty python. One can imagine the intel debriefs going on in Kosovo just now:
"Right, chaps, now everyone will be watching, so make sure we put on a jolly good front."
"DEATH TO THE CHRISTIAN SERBIAN SCUM!!"
"Erm..not quite.. let's try again shall we?"
"VICTORY FOR ALBANIA!! NEXT STOP, BELGRADE!"
"Right. Well, maybe we should move out of camera shot? Mmm? Jolly good. This way, chaps!"
"But wait. first I want thank Mr Bushy Blair. He give me nice new country, where can make cocaine in peace. He get rid of Serbian infidels and give me their land. I want thank Mr Bushy Blair. He great Albanian war leader!"
Now that Gordon Brown has declared it is perfectly acceptable to allow an ethnic minority to acquire any piece of land where they outnumber the competition can we expect to see an independent Northern Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall and Basque country in the near future.
No? I thought not. The two faced handling of this issue defies belief.
I just hope that Gordon and the rest of the European (dis)Union "elite" does not expext us mugs to shell out billions to support this bunch of gangsters posing as a country, because I fail to see how they can support themselves.
Why is it that when genocide and ethnic cleansing are mentioned, most of the people (and I mean in the West) refer to Serbs as the ones committing it, no one even mentions it has also happened the other way around. Why doesn't anyone suspect that if your media is so one-sided, it might not be all that objective... They only say how many thousands of people Serbs have killed, but if you just look at the present facts - that Serbs are a minority today in Kosovo, and it wasn't like this, say, 2o years ago, doesn't it make you wonder...? Or are you too brainwashed to consider thinking in a different direction? Both Serbs and Albanians have committed crimes, the hatred between them is huge, but for some reason, Albanians got the US&EU on their side, who turned them into victims, and decided to give them an independent state. What for? For being a majority in a part of the country and simply wanting their own state? I guess I shouldn't remind anyone how many similar cases exist in the world. For the supposed violence over them? Hardly, just look at the numbers. Violence over whom? It's unbelievable and disgusting what propaganda can do. I think that some other interests are in question here, of the US, or who knows, and all this is just manipulation.
LONG LIVE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVA
To Justin:
Armenia prospers? Pls read more wikipedia or smth.
Kosova will not be a precedent for other territories for many reasons. All of the posters here who claim that any minority will not have a precedent to look to should keep in mind that Kosova was a separate federal unit within Yugoslavia, not a republic in the full sense of the word but a federal unit nonetheless.
Second, between 1989 and 1998 the Serbian regime established a state of apartheid in Kosova, which the Kosovar Albanians, to their credit, responded to with peaceful resistance. That us up to 1998 when the democratically elected leader of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic started systematically expelling the Kosovar Albanians from their land. Over 1 million people were expelled across the border to Macedonia and Albania in a carefully orchestrated campaign to whipe out the Kosovar Albanians from Kosova.
If Kosova is to be a precedent for anything then it will be a precedent for the protection of people of a certain ethnic background from complete annihilation.
It will be a precedent of the free world coming to the aid of innocent civilians who become victims of genocidal dictators and countries.
And finally it will become a precedent that will remind countries throughout the world of what will happen to them if they pursue the same genocidal policies that Serbia pursued.
Some of you here, seems to forget.. what happened to albanian people in 1999,where have all of you LAW-advocates been when serbs was killing and doing genocid over albanian people,they killed woman,children,old people,just because they were albanians.
I want to say a big THANK YOU: to USA,United Kingdom especially Tony Blair and also NATO!
Long live the most charming republic of Europe!
See you in another 5 years when the newborn republic of North Kosovo declares independence, and promptly merges with Serbia. All in accordance with international law, of course.
I don't understand all this.
It's been good 8 years since Milosevic is gone and new democratic governement in Serbia established, so why Kosovars don't want to live with Serbians? Nothing bad happened to them last 7 years so why still want to go alone? [#1]
Perhaps because during those good 8 years top Serbian war criminals (Karadic and Mladic) could not be somehow apprehended by the new democratic government in Serbia and they remember what happened in Vukovar and Srebrenica?
And that nothing bad happened to them only because of the K-FOR presence?
Or maybe they're simply afraid that that government turns out to be as new and democratic as new&democratic government of new improved Russia, Serbia's staunchest ally, and they may yet become another Chechnya?
If international law says the territorial integrity of a state is more important than the right to national self determination of a people within it, then international law is wrong.
Mr Xhevdet Hoti (#6) wrote that as of now Kosovars have "a flag". Well, if Kosovo is to be a truly multiethnic state, as most Kosovo Albanian leaders repeatedly say, then that state cannot have the Albanian flag or its double headed eagle as its new flag.
Likewise, Kosovo Albanians will have to stop calling their state Kosova in English; higher education will have to be offered in the Serbian language; the judiciary, police and parliament must offer bi-lingual services and state television and radio will have to produce Serbian language programs. Etc. Otherwise, Kosovo will not be the multiethnic state its new leaders claim they want to create.
Unless the new Kosovo lives up to these standards, it should be barred from EU aid. If things get out of hand, the EU should even temporarily revoke Kosovo's self-determination.
The independence of Kosovo will/has signal a new era of nationalism in Europe. After so many years of constructing EU and killing the monster of nationalism, now every minority, every city with a population different that the local (see Serajevo) will/has the right to declare independence.
Lets see how the Pandora box will be closed again... It took 2 World Wars for the Europeans to close it...
What an utter disgrace. So the ethnic cleansing committed by the criminal KLA is now actually being rewarded.
Hey Bush, Brown & co, when are you going to recognize the independence of Kurdistan, Tibet and Taiwan?
And what about Basque, Catalunya, Brittany, Occitania, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Flanders, Irian Jaya, Maluku, Somaliland, Darfur, Western Sahara, Chechnya, Dagestan, Transnistria, Republica Srpska, native American tribes etc???
Do I smell hypocrisy?
No youre frend may not use the Schengen agreement to travel, as only Schengen white listed countrys may do so, neither may he work in the EU, an country can only be placed on the White list if ALL EU members agree, and as it now stands that Spain will NEVER recognize Kosovo this is virtually impossible, and as long as Spain refuses Kosovo also cannot even become an EU kandidat member.
Now that's cleared thatr Kosovo will never become an part of the EU.
And for all those who cried about what the serbs did in '99, remember that the albanians AND the kosovar Albanians sided with Hitler in WW2 even going so far as creating SS division's which murdered 10's of thousands Serbs and forcing hunderd of thousands to flee in WW2.
The Albanian's where on the wrong side in WW2, and the world shall not forget what you have done.
Do you know what! this goes to all the serbs that claim that as their land, how come there is NO SERBS there and please do explain who's done ethnic cleansing and who did have an army killing ALL THE TERRORIST ALBANIANS and why the entire world was supporting the albanians and not the serbs and how come no one is looking for any war criminals in Kosova but they are looking for them in Serbia something tells me that you (serbs) are trying to use religion to try and turn it against us but I'm sure most knowledgable people in here will know or might do a search and find out who lived there before or who thae bad peopale are so why don't you just live ksovan people enjoy their freedom at last? thank you USA and EU, thank you
This is the day we mourn the complete breakdown of logic, democracy and international law. As Kosovo Albanians declare independence we watch one of the most brute acts of the new millennium backed by the countries of the west unravel before our very eyes. Pandora's box has been opened and DO expect conflicts all over Europe as other breakaway provinces start declaring their independence in the days and weeks to follow. As exodus of the remaining Serbs in Kosovo is inevitable my heart goes to all Serbian people that are suffering and are about to suffer in the heart of Europe. European Union, you worthless pawn of American political and war interests, you have done enough.
One final thought: I hope (and this isn't that much of a crazy notion) every single one of the countries backing Kosovo's independence gets their own little Muslim country carved out of their borders on their most sacred piece of soil.
Well done everyone...
Finaly USA made a right choice to suport REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO well deserved all serbians that don't like that they can go and complain to Slobodan Milosevic he was the one an paramilitar forces of his that made everything come to this point.
All the people who have somthing to complain about let them go back in history and see the stuf serbians did to all Alnanians or any body who is not serbian check the facts then talk!
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND NEW BORN REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO!
Wow.
I'm amazed from the Serbian propaganda successfully brainwashing international community,sure it's well known as one of the worlds best but I didn't know it was so immense.
It's shocking how these comments are so far from the actual facts and reality!
Independence Day for Kosovars and Albanians everywhere was not only a reminder of the many hardships and sacrifices endured throughout the many decades under the former Republic of Yugoslavia, but also of the fact that they belong to a greater community of nations and that they should be free to decide that course for themselves.
Some background information (usefull):
- Their won't be a 'Greater Albania'. Just 2,5% of the Kosovars supports this idea.
- Kosovars are indeed Muslims but very moderate. The Balkan Islam is like a mixture between Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
- Albanians have been the majority in Kosovo since the early 19th century.
- Most 'Albanians' in Kosovo are actually Serbs, converted to Islam under Ottoman rule.
- Albanians and Serbs have the same ancestry: the Illyrians. They are even more related to each other then the Dutch and German peoples.
The Republic of Kosovo should respect it's minority's and protect their rights. I wish good luck to the Kosovars. Succes with your new state!
It is karma. What goes around comes around. Serbia went around treating the rest of Yugoslavia terribly back in the day and then after that escapade was over the Kosovar Albanian's were given their share. So now justice is being served.
The Republic of Kosova is the result of a crazed dictator just as the Republic of Israel is.
Long live the independent Republic of Kosova.
So many people think this is a bad thing, just think about this logically for a second.
why did all this happen? well over religion and greed. Milosovic wanted more land and to wipe out a muslim majority (kinda sounds like hitler doesn't it)
Its his own fault but serbs are facing the consequences for their leaders acts of genocide.
For people who think Albanians took over the serbs land, type in Illyrians or Dardania in google, and do a bit of historical research before you speak. For those who are claiming "muslim majority's will claim states within the uk..." don't be ridiculous.
Think of this situation like this, either the West(Europe and US) owns Kosovo or the East (Russia) (communism vs capitalism) which is best for the people?
Good luck Kosovo and Serbia, live in harmony
I wonder what the people of the US would say if say if the majority of the people of Hawaii and Puerto Rico decided that they too wanted their countries back. It could happen and what then? My guess the Military would soon be brought in to put a stop to all that. Just like Milosovic did eh! Oh what a lovely democracy we live in.
It is hard to understand my fellow Serbs! In 1990's Serbs were creating so called "Krajinas-Serbian states" left and right. They had created two of those in Croatia, claiming that it is three that the Serbian heart is. As a result of this, over thirty thousand Croatians were killed (Croatians are Catholics-do not forget Vukovar). Then they came up with an idea of creating more hearts in Bosnia (in the west the idea of cloning was just an idea when Serbs in Balkans performed the cloning itself!!!). As a result of the "second surgery", over 200,000 nonserbs (Bosnians and Bosnian Croats were killed-remember Sarajevo, Srebrenica and so many other places). Then, because they had so many cloned hearts they thought it's time for a "Serbian-cradle" for the hearts, and it was the time to start the "surgery" in Kosova. As a result, tens of thousands killed, massacred-some were never found to this day, they tried to hide their horrible crimes! Hundreds of thousands forced out of Kosova. So it was OK for Serbs to form those "Serbian states" in Croatia and Bosnia? It is time for Serbs to wake up, and face the reality, they fought against Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosova...now they want to fight with EU! This is ridiculous.
Europe does not know anymore where the serbian heart is! In Slovenia,Croatia, Bosnia,Kosova,Serbia or Russia?!
So many negative comments, no doubt from Serbs in disguise, but anyway, after what Milosevic did, who dare argue?! I don't remember the Russians or the Serbs rising and demanding that the Serb army stop the atrocities, do you? No - I thought so!
And one simple fact, where are the Serbs from? Ohh yes, Slav from Russia! If Kosovo was always yours, surely Albania was yours too?!
I think this is long overdue, in my opinion, Russia should be isolated ASAP as they are pushing their luck, 10 years ago their government was living on handouts from the West, now they're not even thankful.
What won't kill them will only make them stronger.
Serbs thought they would clean the Kosovars from the face of the Earth, but made a huge mistake.
That is why Albanian women are heroes and give birth to 5 and more children
Long live Kosova the NEWBORN.... Finally a deserved freedom