Serbia: Bloggers Discuss Kosovo Independence
Kosovo's parliament passed the declaration of Kosovo‘s independence on Feb. 17. This decision came as a consequence of unsuccessful direct negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, which lasted for the past few years.
During Milosevic's regime, Albanian ethnic group was clearly expressing the desire to separate from Serbia. Albanians who live in Kosovo felt that basic human rights were endangered there because that NATO forces were bombing Serbia over 70 days in 1999.
Adopting the declaration immediately provoked many Serbs to organize mass protests in Belgrade and several other Serbian cities.
Dejan Stankovic, Serbian blogger, on his B92 blog (SRP) expressed his feeling regarding the vandalism in Belgrade on Feb 17:
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica charged the U.S. President and his European followers for creating the false country Kosovo.
Serbia shall never recognize the independence of Kosovo.
Bombs are laid in the foundation of the false country, Prime Minister marked.
And the culmination: “A McDonald's restaurant in Terazije (Belgrade's street) was demolished.”
As wife divorces her husband, he decides to lose the dignity and humiliates himself.
I was ashamed of the smashing.
Dejan Jovic, a fellow B92 blogger, considers that Kosovo will never be independent and this situation is not a permanent solution. He wrote on Feb 17:
[…] If it happens, however, that some countries recognize Kosovo independence, I fear it will just lead to new problems, not to a permanent solution. Why am I so pessimistic?
Firstly, it is obvious that Serbia will not recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia will treat Kosovo as its own territory. There is a broad political consensus about it among almost all parties. […]
[…] This situation will produce new political conflict with countries that have recognized the independence of Kosovo. […]
[…] Secondly, Kosovo issue is now a big problem even for Europe that agreed (did it agree?) to be a guarantor of public order and peace on that territory. At the same time, some countries, members of the EU, will not recognize Kosovo's independence and the question is who and how will make decisions about this mission in the name of Europe. […]
[…] Thirdly, if Republika Srpska tries to do what Kosovo has done (and decides to block to the state institutions), this will create a new crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If Russia, in that case, supports Republika Srpska, there'll be a new political conflict between Russia and the U.S. The Kosovo issue will be supplemented with the new Bosnia issue. That would mean no stability of Bosnia and canceling of all that was done so far. […]
On his B92 blog (SRP), Marko Jevtic invited Serbia's public to boycott Slovenia's shopping centers in Serbia. He wrote on Feb 18:
An e-mail, which was created by an intelligent person, has been circulating around the internet this days:
Slovenia hasn't yet decided officially about recognizing Kosovo's independence. Slovenia's government clearly wants to do that but Slovenia's business people are not happy because of their big investments in Serbia and a possible reaction of the Serbian public. Help business people to persuade Slovenia's government that it is not valuable to disturb the relationships with Serbia and make the investment risks for the sake of unnecessary recognizing of independence of Kosovo. We shall do the best if we demonstrate a decisiveness and begin a boycott of Slovenian merchandise and companies such as Mercator and Merkur. That would be a support for Slovenia's business people to resist their government. To accomplish this, don't go to any of Slovenia's shopping malls on Feb. 19 and 20. The goal of the boycott is to change the anti-Serbian politics of Slovenia's government, not to disturb the relationships between the two countries. And Slovenia's business people are strong enough to change the politics of their government, if they are motivated. So: motivate them!
And, of course, send this email to everyone you know. […]
Dejan Ristac, a B92 blogger, on Feb. 17, wrote ironically about Serbia's refusal to accept this situation:
[…] [Tennis player Novak], forget others Grand Slams, don't play tennis at the heart of the ecil until they stop dancing over Kosovo. […]
A few days ago, Maruska commented at one of the blogs and recommended:
[…] I have added a petition against Kosovo's independence to this web site:
45 comments
I do not get it.
If Kosovo is the cradle of Serbia, what are they doing?
Demonstrations, rising fists, emotional outburst. Is this all? Then you deserve to lose it.
I just picture Israelis if somebody wants kick-them-out from Jerusalem.
Where is the Serbian army?
When something occurs in the world which certain people dont agree with it is their right to protest and show their opinion. It is a strategy many countries implement in order to avoid uprising and allow their citizens to express their view by hopefully peaceful protests. Are u suggesting that people should go to war as oppose to protest? For someone of ur origin that is suprising. Perhaps serbs dont like war as much as the world seems to think, however i agree with u. The only way for the world to realise Serbia’s powers and stop spreading propaganda which noone is falling for anymore…is to go to war and defend Kosovo which i know every serb will do. Lets wait and see the failure of what countries that support Kosovo independence believe is the only way to keep peace in the Balkans..I dont want to see war, but if thats the only way to remind the world KOSOVO HISTORY ISNT MYTHICAL, PERHAPS IT MIGHT BE WELL WORTH LOSING LIVES FOR
KOSOVO IS SERBIA!!! It always has been. It the holy land to our faith and it always will be. Always. The fact that the US has recognized Kosovo as an independant state is not only illegal but will turn to bite US in the ass. Serbia may be a small country but we are everywhere and sooner or later we will make our presence known. the United States goes around breaking up countries while they try to keep themselves together.. What would happen if California wanted to be its own country. How would that be handled. Take that kaos and multiply it in tenfold and you will understand where this Kosovo situation will lead..
Also in case u didnt know, last time Serbia had their army in Kosovo, America decided to bomb Serbia, that is bridges with innocent people on them, child centres where a 3 year old kid was killed while peeing. The most painful thing about that is to think what the world is coming to..and now the righteous country of America, that is its righteous government who fights terrorism decides to suport independence of a country led by a former KLA leader…is the world blind to this fact? is te world also forgetting resolution 1244??? are we purposely ignoring the law and setting precedents which lead to disaster?ISNT ANYONE WONDERING WHY AMERICA WANTS TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENCE OF SOME LITTLE REGION SO MUCH, RATHER THAN BEING INVOLVED IN OTHER WORLD ISSUES??
The reason Serbs are a minority of 5 % in Kosovo is because:
-During the bombing champaign in 99, many Serbs and Albanians alike fled Kosovo for fear of getting killed by NATOs incompetence. NATO bombed a Chinese embassy causing the deaths of 5 Chinese citizens and said it was an accident, when there were no Serbian military or government buildings anywhere nearby.
-After Serbian forces left Kosovo, many Serbs living in Kosovo left because of retaliatory attacks by the KLA. A total of 300,000 Serbs, Jews, and Roma fled Kosovo between 1999-2008. The riots of 2004, where 34 Orthodox monastarys were destroyed by Albanian protesters also convinced many Serbs to leave.
-Serbs in southern kosovo were ethnicly cleansed into Serbia, by harrasment, violence, some were forced out of they’re homes by they’re Albanian neighbours
– Most jewish serbs left for Israel because all available jobs in Kosovo were given to Albanians.
That explains why Serbs are a minority in Kosovo.
Nikolai, you are perfectly safe in Serbia. They understand Americas government is the problem, not its citizens. If i may quote a BBC interview with one of the rioters of Belgrade embassy: “we have nothing against the American people, its US government we blame”
Kosovo independence was a mistake for Kosovo Albanians themselves. If they accepted wide autonomy they would have all the benefits of independence. Theyr own school system, own governing body, own control of police forces, etc. They could “piggyback” with Serbia into the EU. If they accepted wide autonomy they couldv joined the EU with Serbia by 2010. Now with a 1.5 billion $ debt, and unemployment at 50% it will be a very long time before Kosovo is eligable for the EU. German diplomats have been quoted as saying 2020 is the projected date of Kosovo being considered for the EU. Not only that but because, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Slovakia, Romania, (all EU members), do not recognise Kosovos independence, there is no chance for Kosovo to join the EU, because EU integration relies on a concensus. This means that it only takes 1 out of 27 countries to prevent Kosovo from joining the EU. Also Kosovo will not be able to join the United Nations because 2 out of 5 UN security council members (China, Russia) do not recognise Kosovo. Kosovo will not be able to attract major foreign investment due to the worldwide split on its independence. Russia, which controls 30% of Europes gas supplies, strictly opposes Kosovos independence, so what does Kosovo have to look forward to not that it is independent?
– 0 major foreign investment in the next few years
– extremely high price of Gas and electricity
– high food prices
– a debt of 1.5 billion dollars to foreign countries
– It will not be able to establish diplomatic ties with
Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, China, Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Egypt, Georgia, Argentina(about 3 billion people total)because all of thses countries have said they do not recognize Kosovo, and many more coutnries are still contemplating they’re decisions. Not only will they not be able to establish diplomatic ties, but no companies from these countries will invest in Kosovo.
but…… at least they got a brand new shiny flag.
Alex V–
‘(B)ut…… at least they got a brand new shiny flag.’ Which they don’t use because they are not interested in ‘independence’, they want to be part of ‘Greater Albania’ which, if the maps which are being published are any indication, includes yet more of Serbia, parts of Greece and parts of Macedonia! The only picture I’ve ever seen of their new flag was it being held by their ‘president’ and ‘prime minister’, the only flag I’ve seen in the demos is the Albanian national flag.
jovan so if u say that if we agred to autonomy that serbija offerd (wich they took that away from us ones)we would have a better life in kosovo today. well u r wrong. it is funny to me when the serbs that call kosovometohija their heart and soul they all left for bellgrade beucause the goverment never cared for kosovo in the first place. there s a old sayind in serbijen (trepca radi beograd se gradi) mayby this should be lesson for serbs if u really cared for kosovo the place wich is a cradle of serbs next really take care of land and people nomater what nationelity. also an advise start praying for another tito cause he was a tru yugoslave.
Hypocrits! It is true, much of America has contributed to freedom in the world, but those in America who consider Eastern Europe to be corrupt are from papal clique that gave America Tammany Hall. Roger Taney who wrote Dred Scott was Catholic. The hygiene crisis in America with food poisoning is from Catholics. The work ethic in America is dead because of Catholics. Catholic casuistry drive litigation explosion. They are turning America into Mafia Fascist Molestor Banana Republic. Their customers are turning to India to find reliable workers.
My country Georgia is not going to recognize Kosovo’s independence.
I see a lot historical claims being thrown in support of Serbia but how can one explain the fact that Serb historians at least in the past were mono-lingual. Which means that they only interpreted claims from material written in the Serbian language, while not looking at the Albanian, Austrian, British, Turkish, Italian historical material. It is such a huge ignorance to rely on one point of view for interpretation of historical events. Serbian history about Kosovo is just a brainwash done from nationalist Serbian historians which did not speak any other language besides Serbian. History is a science, you investigate it for facts, unbiased-ness and you can’t rely on just one source of information. Serbian nationalist historians who wrote the Serbian history books did rely on sources only in the Serbian language.
God bless America for stopping the centuries old genocide in Kosovo. The reason why Serbs are a minority is because their ethnic cleansing techniques were not working well, and also few Serbs wanted to live in a place like Kosovo, were you are (before 1999) discriminated, left alone and forgotten by your own government in Belgrade. Kosovo now has a huge oppurtunity to achieve a great future but first it has to surpass the Belgrade & Russian sponsored sabotage from its Serbian minority. As far as the countries that don’t recognize Kosovo’s independence, that list is shrinking. This made me laugh: “My country Georgia is not going to recognize Kosovo’s independence.” :), ohhhhh, i guess I won’t be able to fall asleep tonight…
KOSOVO’S FUTURE IS EUROPE NOT RUSSIA, NOT SERBIA. IF SERBS WANT TO GO BACK TO SIBERIA OR BECOME PART OF RUSSIA, THEY CAN DO SO BUT WITHOUT KOSOVA. Let us all hope that Serbia will not be Russia’s pet for any longer.