Two emigrants from Albania are forced to beat and ethnically insult each other by a policeman at an Athens police station. Three other policemen watch, and of course, use the cellphone to record. This is just the top of the iceberg. Racism against Albanians in Greece is pervasive, with many of them being forced to convert and change ethnic identify to be allowed to stay in Greece. This wouldn't be so shocking if Greece wasn't an EU country.
Through Vrima e çelësit
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Che sara sara
State Secretary with Ministry for Kosovo Dušan Proroković, said that there will be no cutting off of diplomatic relations with countries that might unilaterally recognize Kosovo independence.
“Cutting off diplomatic ties is costly, but relations would not stay the same and Serbia would have to react in some way,” Dušan Proroković said, adding that the measures that may be taken are yet to be decided.
Source: B92 - News - Politics - Official: Serbia would not cut ties over Kosovo
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Say what you want
A 12-year old Kosovar kissing Bush's poster in Tirana. There is an ongoing contest at Peshku pa ujë (sq) for the best caption for this picture.
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Next Battle for Kosovo
The Next Battle for Kosovo
Bush and Putin square off over the question of independence.
by Stephen Schwartz
Source: The Next Battle for Kosovo
Schwartz is always refreshing with his reporting - did I say reporting? Yep, that's what he does, time and time again, he visits the damn place .
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Just do it
Until about a month ago Veton Surroi, Kosovo's chief diplomat - a moderate with much respect in the world capitals - considered that the risks of going it alone were too big. Now he's become more acceptive of it.
“Kosovo cannot continue to remain hostage to Russia’s veto, nor to issues that are to do with bilateral relations between the Great Powers. Kosovo… needs its own solution”, the Unity Team said.
“We will respect the partnership, but we stand by our people and we don’t want this process to be delayed endlessly”, said Veton Surroi, a member of the Unity Team.
I'm not sure if it's because he's more confident than before, or is it just that there is no other solution left on the table. Whatever it is, declaring unilateral independence is the way to go now. We have to act swiftly and with determination while Europe takes its summer siesta. The rest will be history.
Source: BIRN
Friday, June 08, 2007
Kosovo urges UN vote, Russian veto or not - Yahoo! News
PRISTINA, Serbia (Reuters) - Kosovo is prepared to make a unilateral declaration of independence and is pressing the West to go ahead with a vote at the United Nations even if Russia is likely to veto the proposition.
Source: Kosovo urges UN vote, Russian veto or not - Yahoo! News
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
For God's Sake, Please Stop the Aid!
An "African" (is Africa a country yet?) economist calls on Europe to stop all aid to Africa. The paragraph below could be just as relevant and powerful if "Africa" is replaced with "Kosovo." Aid handouts are not the way to development. Instead, if it really means it, the developed world should open its markets and remove all farm subsidies to their farmers for food that is ultimately dumped in Africa. This also makes environmental sense for EU and US.
Shikwati: ... jobs that were created artificially in the first place and that distort reality. Jobs with foreign aid organizations are, of course, quite popular, and they can be very selective in choosing the best people. When an aid organization needs a driver, dozens apply for the job. And because it's unacceptable that the aid worker's chauffeur only speaks his own tribal language, an applicant is needed who also speaks English fluently -- and, ideally, one who is also well mannered. So you end up with some African biochemist driving an aid worker around, distributing European food, and forcing local farmers out of their jobs. That's just crazy!
Source: SPIEGEL Interview with African Economics Expert: "For God's Sake, Please Stop the Aid!"
Monday, June 04, 2007
B92 - News - Comments - Mass grave may hold up to 500 Kosovo victims
To all of the people that do not understand or do not want to understand the difference between crimes commited from Serbs and Albanians. The crimes commited from Albanians are commited from individuals and those individuals deserve punishment. The crimes commited from Serbs are planed and commited from the state of Serbia so the Serbian State is responsible. It is the state and the government elected by the people of Serbia. That's why the people of Serbia should feel responsible. This is the difference and it is huge. And let's not talk here about the numbers of the crimes or who started everything.
(ardian, Prishtina, Monday, 4 June, 2007, 19:11)
Source: B92 - News - Comments - Mass grave may hold up to 500 Kosovo victims
