Prishtina Insight That Bidder RWE Pulls out Financial Institutions Were Being Targeted As Part of a ‘General Increase in Criminality’ in the Country

July 17 - 30, 2009

Issue No. 20

FREE COPY

FEATURE Kosovars Swoon at ‘Albanian’ Crime on the Rise in Kosovo, Star in Turkish Soap Opera Warns ProCredit Bank Chief Head of Kosovo’s Biggest Bank Reveals New Security Measures Following Latest Armed Heist in Prishtina

By Petrit Qollaku and Vjosa Musliu

he General Manager of page 7 Kosovo’s biggest bank has T warned of a ‘radical rise’ in bank robberies following the NEWS latest in a series of armed heists. Philip Sigwart, of ProCredit Power Plant Announced as Bank, told Prishtina Insight that Bidder RWE Pulls Out financial institutions were being targeted as part of a ‘general increase in criminality’ in the country. Kosovo Police confirmed that, despite a lack of accurate statistics, the number of burglaries and robberies were rising. A ProCredit Bank in Pristina was robbed of 19,000 euro on Friday, 10 July – the third attack page 4 against the bank in Kosovo’s capital in two months. Mr Sigwart told Prishtina BUSINESS Insight: “We believe that this is a Kosovo Economists Query Use reflection of the general increase of ‘Frozen’ Billion of criminality in Kosovo. “During our first eight years of operations in Kosovo, ProCredit byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for ProCredit Bank has been targeted by armed bank robbers three times in the past two months Bank did not have a single rob- bery. new technology such as dye- spokesperson, told Prishtina tion with Macedonian authori- “This year we had three rob- packs. These are devices that Insight: “The 8,000 police of ties, but could not say whether beries in a row. Other financial explode in a shower of coloured Kosovo’s police service cannot the crimes in Prishtina and institutions are targeted as well, ink and permanently stain the ensure the safety of all the busi- Skopje were connected. such as the Western Union stolen banknotes. nesses in Kosovo. Shemsi Krasniqi, head of the- offices, so this is not limited to “We will be the first bank in “The banks should look at sociology department at the ProCredit Bank. the whole Balkan region to their internal security issues.” University of Prishtina, said that page 5 “We invest a lot in security, but implement this latest technolo- But he added that crime is on the financial crisis should not be when you are confronted with gy.” the rise in Kosovo. He said: “We blamed for the increase in crime. people who are willing to risk Agron Borovci, Kosovo Police don’t have accurate statistics yet. He said: “Certain people com- CITY everything to steal others peo- spokesperson for the Prishtina But, by and large, there is an mit crimes, robberies and the ple’s money it is difficult to have region, said police were linking increase in burglaries and rob- like in the name of [the finan- “Stuffy” Clinton Poster Angers 100 per cent protection.” the three robberies, but no beries in general.” cial] crisis and turmoil, but the Prishtiners Mr Sigwart said that his bank arrests have been made. Three Pro-Credit Banks in real source of this situation is was now investing significant He said: “We suspect that we Prishtina and one in Skopje have the degeneration of values. sums in new security technology are dealing with the same group been robbed since April. “Kosovo has seen a dramatic not currently used in the of persons, taking into consider- Two policemen and three system change, felt in the econo- Balkans. ation the elements of the rob- passers-by were injured during my, society and politics. He said: “As there has been a beries. the armed heist in Macedonia. “Because of this dramatic radical increase in the number of “There are always two persons, Local reports suggested the change, our society has not yet bank robberies, it has become a masked and carrying weapons, robbers stole about 50,000 euro established a new system of val- necessity to upgrade some of our and they attack the banks early before fleeing to Kosovo. ues, and until we manage to do security installations to the latin the morning.” Kosovo Police confirmed they that, certain people will profit page 6 est standards and to purchase Besim Hoti, Kosovo Police were working in close coopera- from the chaos.” ARTE News News Exit: 4 Days, 500 Performers Row Escalates over Kosovo’s Exclusion Albanian Take on Battle of Kosovo and 200,000 Revellers from Visa Free Travel Draws Hate Mail In a long-awaited decision, that has A controversial book on the Battle of sparked enthusiastic reactions in some Kosovo has brought its Italian author parts of the region and disillusionment hate mail from Serbia, but also a promis- in others, the European Commission has ing offer from a Belgrade publisher. adopted a proposal for granting visa-free Anna Di Lellio’s The Battle of Kosovo travel to the citizens of Macedonia, 1389: An Albanian Epic, published earli- Montenegro and Serbia... er this month... page 2 page 3 page 10

is supported by: 2 • july 17 - 30, 2009 news Balkan Ghetto? The Row Escalates over Kosovo’s Exclusion from Visa Free Travel Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro given green light for Schengen visas, while Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are told more progress is needed n a long-awaited decision, that year, so that citizens of the three has sparked enthusiastic reac- countries can freely travel in the Itions in some parts of the region Schengen states as from January and disillusionment in others, the 2010. European Commission has adopted a proposal for granting visa-free travel Bosnia and Herzegovina to the citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. and Albania ‘Lament’ Enlargement Commissioner Olli Decision Rehn and his counterpart from justice and home affairs, Jacques Albania and Bosnia have been Barrot, presented the visa-liberalisa- ranked at the end of the list and tion proposal for the western therefore will not be included in the Balkans in Brussels on Wednesday. first round of visa liberalisation. “Today’s proposal is very impor- According to EC sources, they will tant and is the result of intensive have to wait until mid-2010. and hard work for the authorities Citizens of Bosnia and and the people of these countries in Herzegovina and Albania are meeting the conditions [for visa lib- lamenting the fact that they have eralisation],” Barrot said. been left out of the process. Dialogue on visas started with the Regarding Bosnia, Barrot said: western Balkans countries in 2006, “Bosnia and Herzegovina does not while the visa liberalisation process yet have any biometric passports. If was launched in 2008. Bosnia and we had proposed to have BiH enter Herzegovina and Albania are also in now into the system of lifting visas, the process, but are deemed to have then I wouldn’t have gotten approval not fulfilled the necessary condi- from the council. We have to move in tions. [a] step-by-step process, and since One of the thorniest issues of the byPhoto FoNet The European Commission revealed its visa liberalisation programme for the western Balkans on Wednesday BiH have not been able to distribute negotiations has been how Serbia these passports, that is the prob- will deal with residents of Kosovo, But the Assembly of Kosovo Serb states with EU presence are not for the others who just want to trav- lem.” which it still considers to be a Municipalities called the decision to “controlled by the EU”. el, it would have been a great thing,” Rehn said he hoped that Bosnia province despite its declaration of exclude Kosovo Serbs from the visa- Kosovo senior leaders reasserted he added. and Herzegovina and Albania would independence. free zone “humiliating” and said that that Kosovo’s future is in the Former Serbian PM Vojislav soon catch up with their neighbours. Rehn said: “It is indeed the case Belgrade’s acceptance of the EU deal European family and that its insti- Kostunica said in an interview for “If all conditions are fulfilled the that Kosovo, under [UN Resolution] showed it was “giving up Kosovo”. tutions will work to precipitate the Belgrade daily Danas that accepting commission could envisage making 1244, is not part of the present dia- “If, to that, one adds the condition process of integration. the visa-free regime, which does not a new proposal, which would include logue on visa liberalisation. It is [an] that Serbia, together with EULEX “We informed Solana that apply to the residents of Kosovo, them by mid 2010,” Rehn said. objective fact that Kosovo doesn’t and the Kosovo Police Service, Kosovo’s vision is to become part of represents illegal discrimination. In Bosnia, the mood is one of dis- meet conditions because of security installs Albanian customs, judiciary the EU and NATO,” said Kosovo’s He added it represented the biggest appointment and disillusionment, concerns. Cooperation between and police in northern Kosovo, then President, Fatmir Sejdiu. step in a process of accepting with many viewing the decision as EULEX and Serbia is important.” that is not conditioning, but humilia- According to Kosovo’s Prime Kosovo’s independence. an act, however indirect, of discrim- tion,” the statement issued by the Minister, Hashim Thaci, Kosovo has Serbian Interior Minister Ivica ination against Bosniaks (Bosnian “It is indeed the case that Assembly reads. achieved spectacular achievements Dacic said on Wednesday that it is Muslims), as Bosnian Croats and The letter complains that the EU is in the first year after its declaration clear that the European Bosnian Serbs have the opportunity Kosovo, under [UN jeopardising Serbia’s territorial of independence from Serbia. Commission has certain reserva- to hold dual citizenship with Serbia Resolution] 1244, is not part integrity, and calls for the govern- “Kosovo’s vision is to be part of tions concerning the rule of law and and Croatia and can thus take advan- ment of Serbia to respect the consti- the visa liberalisation process very crime in Kosovo, but added that the tage of current visa liberalisation. of the present dialogue on tution and preserve the state’s repu- soon”, said Thaci. decision to exclude Kosovo was a ”This effectively means that only visa liberalisation. It is [an] tation and dignity. Asked whether he feels unilateral decision by the EC. Bosniaks will not be able to travel “betrayed” because Kosovo is not “As far as we’re concerned, we freely in Europe, while the rest of objective fact that Kosovo Thaci: “Kosovo’s vision is to mentioned anywhere in the process believe that all Serbian citizens the country’s citizens will be able to doesn’t meet conditions of visa liberalisation, Thaci should be entitled to it. They’ll all be move from country to country with be part of the visa liberali- declined to comment. entitled to passports. We’ll see what no problem. because of security concerns. sation process very soon” Naser Rugova, deputy of Kosovo’s the EC’s definitive decision will be,” “I understand why Bosnia was not Cooperation between EULEX Parliament from the Kosovo Dacic added. granted visa liberalisation, but and Serbia is important.” Javier Solana, EU Senior Democratic League, LDK, said that The EC justifies it decision to nonetheless, the result is discrimi- Representative for Foreign Policy the EU has rewarded “genocide” by exclude Kosovo from liberalisation nation,” Alma Begovic, 52, a resident and Security, confirmed the exclu- giving Serbia visa liberalisation. on the basis that Serbia’s Interior of Sarajevo, told Pristina Insight. Olli Rehn sion of Kosovo from the process of “The EU is rewarding a genocidal Ministry and other authorities do Indeed, the Young European visa liberalisation at a press confer- policy which is in contradiction not have access to Kosovo territory Federalist Movement, JEF, has criti- ence on Tuesday,without giving any with its principles,” said Rugova in to check the particulars of passport cized the EU visa liberalisation poli- The EU has ruled that the inclu- details of when this process might an interview with Prishtina daily applicants. They cite the potential cy towards the western Balkans, sion of Serbia on the so-called White start. Express. for illegal immigration from Kosovo arguing that it could potentially cre- List will not apply to people from Solana’s only promise during his The exclusion of Kosovo from the and the threat of the spread of ate new divisions and anti-EU senti- Kosovo, even though they can apply visit to Kosovo was that Kosovo process, according to him, will dam- organised crime networks as the ments by leaving out Muslim for Serbian biometric passports. would not be neglected in this age the country’s image in the inter- main reasons for the decision. minorities. The reasons for the decision are of process, arguing that its political national arena. He blamed the gov- As far as Macedonia is concerned, Moreover, the European a “security-technical nature, related situation is still an impediment to ernment for issuing non-biometric Barrot said the country had done Parliament has had to contend with to the fact that Belgrade authorities progress. passports and a lack of progress in “very well”. some strong criticism within its own do not control the territory of “Visa liberalisation process start- meeting the criteria for visa liberal- With regard to Montenegro, he ranks. The Green group in the Kosovo”, according to the EU. ed a long time ago and back then isation. said the EU was going to continue to European Parliament criticised the Serbia has said residents of Kosovo was not a candidate,” said For some Kosovo Albanians, the closely monitor the implementation timing of the visa liberalisation Kosovo will have to travel to Solana, after a meeting with decision to exclude their country of relevant laws and the fight announcement, which came only Belgrade if they want to apply for a Kosovo’s senior leaders. He added from the process of visa liberalisa- against organised crime. days after the 14th anniversary of passport, and even then will not be that the process of visa liberalisation is no surprise. Once the proposal for the three the Srebrenica massacre of more granted visa-free travel. tion with other European countries “The decision seems fair looking successful countries has been pre- than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister will continue in the coming years. at it objectively as five European sented, it has to pass through the boys. Hajredin Kuqi told Radio Free According to him, it is in the Union countries have not recog- Council of Ministers and then Reuters also quoted Christian Europe: “It is clear that Kosovo is an interest of the European Union to nised Kosovo,” said Besart Stavileci, receive a green light from the Schwarz-Schilling, the international independent country and that its continue with the process of visa a 19 year old from Prishtina, cur- European Parliament. community’s former high represen- people are Kosovo citizens. I am con- liberalisation and enlargement. rently studying in the US. The decision at the ministers’ tative to Bosnia, as slamming the vinced that the citizens of the Asked why Kosovo had been “It could be a problem for Kosovo level does not require unanimous decision to leave Bosnia out of the Republic of Kosovo, Serbs included, excluded from the White List, while if we were part of visa liberalisa- voting, therefore European officials visa liberalisation process “a mock- will be inclined towards the Kosovo it is under ‘strong institutional con- tion as it could lead to many people are hoping that the whole procedure ery and a blow against all European identity.” trol’ from the EU, Solana said that leaving for economic reasons. But will be finished by the end of this values”. news • july 17 - 30, 2009 3 Albanian Take on Battle of Editor’s word Kosovo Draws Hate Mail JO! Italian author’s controversial approach to traditional hero prompts fury in Serbia – but also an offer of a book deal. By Vjosa Musliu across a book written by Ahmet or meant the same as, Milos Qeriqi called Milush Kopiliqi, Kobilic.” Serb apo Shqiptar?, [Serb or According to Di Lellio, Obiliq’s By Albana Ulaj Albanian?] nationality remains controversial avier Solana, whom most Kosovars in Prishtina “It was very interesting for me because nation states as they are remember from the time of the to find out that there were presently understood did not exist JNATO bombings, came to controversial book on the Albanians who questioned in 1389 and people did not then Prishtina this week to give a message Battle of Kosovo has Obiliq’s nationality. Based on this place much store on ethnic identi- which exemplifies the isolation of more Abrought its Italian author book, I decided to do research into ty. The various tales also reflect than 2 million Kosovars. After announc- hate mail from Serbia, but also a the topic,” Di Lellio said. the interests of different parties ing that Serbia, Macedonia and promising offer from a Belgrade Her research revealed eight ver- involved in the war. Montenegro will have visa liberalisa- publisher. sions of a song portraying Obiliq The Albanian epic of the battle tion with the European Union, Solana Anna Di Lellio’s The Battle of as an Albanian from Kosovo’s of 1389, according to the author, then disappointed Bosnia and Kosovo 1389: An Albanian Epic, Drenica region, from a village adds something new to previous Herzegovina and Albania, and said ‘jo’ published earlier this month, called Kopiliq. discussions. It is also very impor- to Kosovo. became caught up in a political The songs were collected and tant since the English-speaking Some have argued that the EU is iso- and historical row because it por- recorded throughout history by world will be gaining an insight lating three mainly Muslim, European trays Milos Obilic/Millosh Obiliq scholars such as Anton Ceta, a into these songs for the first time. states. This argument is given more cre- – usually considered the Serbian famous Albanian folklorist and “There were only a few people, dence by the fact that the door to the hero who killed the Ottoman university professor. including Albanians and schol- European house is being kept closed for Sultan Murad I, sometimes writ- One version was listened to, ars, who knew that the Albanian Turkey as some in the EU fear the pres- ten Murat – as an Albanian from and transcribed, by a Serbian version of the battle of Kosovo ence of such a large, Muslim community Kosovo. scholar in 1919. Robert Elsie, a exists,” Di Lellio said. inside traditionally Christian Europe. The Battle of Kosovo was Canadian-born expert on “This discovery will actually Yet, while this argument has some fought on the Fields of Kosovo, Di Lellio Albanian culture, helped Di Lellio break the monopoly of the resonance, there are plenty of practical about five kilometres northwest with her research. Serbian version of the event. It is arguments behind the decision as well. of Prishtina, on June 15, 1389. Di Lellio said she was surprised Obiliq/c is a controversial fig- an example which proves that Kosovo is still not recognised by all Pitting Christian Serbia and its by the level of the controversy in ure, since his nationality – and nobody owns the truth and that EU member states and it is still far from allies against the invading force the Serbian media, as well as indeed existence – remain a mys- there are two sides of the story.” accomplishing the necessary criteria set of the Muslim Ottoman Empire, amongst Serbs, adding that she tery. There exist several different The book consists of eight ver- by the EU for visa liberalisation. the battle is of great significance never intended to attack the names and surnames for him, sions of an Albanian song trans- Leaving aside its still contested politi- to the Balkans, particularly to Serbian version of the epic. such as Milus, Millos, Obiliqi, lated into English. Di Lellio says cal status, practically, Kosovo needs to Serbia, although the historical “I have information that some Kopili and Kopilqi. that the songs are full of magic, show its EU ideology, not merely details are vague and contested. Serbs are shocked about my book, According to Serbian tradition almost like fairytales, portraying through empty political declarations, Di Lellio, an Italian journalist since they have only known the he was a Serb, but other authors Kopiliq not just as an Albanian but through serious practical work in and psychologist who works for Serbian version of the epic. They and historians have questioned but as a hero of the people, a the field. the Kosovo Institute for have to understand that none of this. For example, Noel Malcolm, courageous legendary character The fuss after the declaration of inde- Journalism and Communication, the accusations against me are English author of a history of with superpowers. pendence didn’t prove productive for based in Prishtina, said: “First true. I have only presented what I Kosovo, argued that Obiliq might It also casts light on the Kosovar authorities who decided to day the news came out about the found out,” Di Lellio said. even have been Hungarian. Albanians’ eventual acceptance of issue non-biometric passports signed by book, I received unpleasant mes- Besides receiving unpleasant In his book, Kosovo A Short the Ottoman Empire and the rela- the Republic of Kosovo. The latter sages from some Serbs via messages, Di Lellio has, however, History, Malcolm wrote: “Without tionship between Albanians and missed the opportunity to meet the cru- Facebook, so I had to immediately received an offer from a Serbian further evidence, the precise the Ottomans, the author said. cial criteria for visa liberalisation. change my privacy settings.” publisher, Biblioteka XX Vek, to truth may never be known. But in Di Lillio’s book is published by Biometric passports have not yet been She was accused of being an publish the book in Serbia, some- the present state of knowledge, it IB Tauris in collaboration with issued in Kosovo as nobody has both- enemy of Serbia, of having thing she is very interested in. is reasonable to think that Murat the Centre of Albanian Studies. It ered to ask a specialist company to do Albanian roots and of being one The idea for the book came was in fact killed by someone, can be found at Prishtina’s Dit’ e the job. of the “Arbereshe”, the ancient unexpectedly. The author was quite possible a Hungarian, Nat bookstore, priced at 15 euro, Second, Kosovo is still struggling to Albanian community living in researching a different topic whose name either was, or sound- and is available through ensure control of its territorial integri- Italy. when she accidentally came ed like, or was later adapted into, amazon.com. ty amid ethnic clashes in the north, an area where Kosovo’s state control is inexistent. Bosnia and Herzegovina, with two mini-states and still fractured along eth- Norwegian Detained for 30 nic lines, is far from functioning as a proper state. Albania’s continuing sagas with organising democratic elections and its Days Over Fraud inability to issue ID cards in 2009 pro- agreement between Kosovo’s vanished. Prosecutors claim that vides a strong argument for the EU not to allow visa liberalisation for a country Ministry of Justice and its Johansen benefited the cash. which is to celebrate its 100-year Montenegrin counterpart. A Kosovo court last year convict- anniversary in less than three years. Johansen is suspected of com- ed Xhema of abusing her authority By Lawrence Marzouk Hence, this decision, which clearly mitting fraud relating to a deal with and company resources. Mustafe isolates a swathe of Muslim Europe, is the publicly owned firm PTK, Post Neziri, Norway Invest’s director for not Islamophobic, but first and foremost n EU judge has order that and Telecommunication of Kosovo. Kosovo, was also convicted for is about practical problems. Ove Johansen, former direc- The case concerns an agreement fraudulent contracts. Both have Ove Johansen The three countries should really look Ator of Norway Invest and signed in 2002 between Norway appealed and Xhema this week saw launched the website dontinv- at themselves in the mirror and realise founder of the campaign Don’t Invest and PTK to install Tetra her sentence reduced to three estinkosovo.com earlier this year to that the road towards EU integration Invest in Kosovo, be detained in phone masts for the emergency years. warn firms against investing in requires more serious work, more Kosovo for 30 days, before facing a services and military in Kosovo. Johansen was arrested in Kosovo. possible trail over fraud allegations. accountability and more efficiency. The deal was signed by the then Montenegro in 2007 following the Johansen and Sorensen are also For Kosovo, Solana’s message is a Judge Arkadiusz Sedek, of the PTK directo, Leme Xhema and issue of an Interpol warrant but among 31 investors from Norway EU rule-of-law mission EULEX, blow to all those who want to pass freely Ronny Sorensen, a member of was not extradited until now. Invest to be claiming 5.5 million through Europe, no longer hindered by ruled that 46-year-old Johansen Norway Invest. Sorensen, who lives in Oslo, euro damages from three Kosovo should be held under charges of the bureaucratic minefield of visas. According to documents filed at Norway, is also wanted by Interpol public bodies - the PTK, the Kosovo But it’s surely better for this young “abuse of an official position”, Pristina District Court, Norway and also denies any wrongdoing. Trust Agency, KTA, and its succes- “facilitating abuse of an official country to be fully prepared for visa lib- Invest was a ‘ghost company’, with In an earlier interview with sor, the Privatisation Agency of eralisation before the EU opens the door. position” and agreeing a “damag- only a postal address in Norway. Prishtina Insight, Johansen Kosovo , PAK - for the collapse of the ing contract”. An exodus of Kosovars, desperate for Prosecutors allege that 300,000 claimed that he has been ‘effective- phone mast contract and lost rev- If found guilty, he faces eight to jobs in western Europe because of the euro was transferred to Norway ly under house arrest’ since the enue. ten years in prison. He denies all parlous state of the economy at home, Invest from PTK, for ‘preliminary arrest, as he had been unable to Karin Limdal, police spokesper- wrongdoing. at this time could set Prishtina’s long- work’ on the phone mast project. leave Montenegro and not given the son for EULEX, confirmed that The Norwegian was extradited to term aim of joining the EU back many It is alleged that the money was opportunity to clear his name. Johansen will be held for 30 days Kosovo on Thursday, following an years. then taken from the account and Johansen and Sorensen before facing a possible trail. 4 • july 17 - 30, 2009 news 2000MW Power Plant Announced for Kosovo as Key Bidder RWE Pulls Out osovo’s government has Sibovc mine, will be provided to the revealed details of a tender winning bidder for 40 years Kfor a 3.5 billion euro energy “The new power plant will ensure deal, seen as crucial for the econom- enough supply for domestic con- ic and ecological development of the sumption and export,” Thaci added. country. Pollution from the ageing power A 2,000 megawatt, MW, plant is plants pose environmental and planned for the outskirts of health problem to the 700,000 resi- Prishtina in two 1000MW phases, dents who live in the densely popu- which will allow Kosovo to provide lated region surrounding the two enough energy for its 2million resi- lignite-fired power plants, 10 kilo- dents and become a major electrici- metres from Prishtina. The under- ty exporter performing facilities also fail to pro- Prishtina Insight revealed in its vide the necessary 1000MW needed last edition the struggle between the to supply Kosovo customers. USA and the World Bank, and differ- People living near Kosova A and B ent factions of the government, over suffer from 200 tonnes of dust what should be offered in the tender. released into the air each day. The Principally, the opposing sides byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit plants also emit sulphur dioxide, Kosovo’s power plant could not agree on whether the ten- nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide der should include Kosova A and B, The government expects to close Kosovo reportedly sits on the fifth the construction and the level of at levels well above the EU stan- the country’s aging power stations, Kosovo A in 2014 or 2015 and Kosovo largest lignite reserves in the world, project maturity”. dards. and whether the full 2,000MW power B will be renovated as part of a sep- and the export of power to the Three consortiums remain in the Kosovo’s premier promised that plant should be included in the first arate public-private deal. region is seen as key to the coun- race for this lucrative deal. Kosova e Re will be built with the tender, or 1,000MW in the first ten- The power plant is aimed at try’s economic development. “Transparency will be the crucial newest technology and with the pos- der, with the possibility of another ensuring sufficient energy supply But on the eve of the decision, element throughout this process,” sibility of carbon capture, a largely 1,000MW plant in the future. for domestic consumption and German company RWE pulled out of said Thaci, adding that this is part untested technology on such a large Prishtina Insight understands export, said Kosovo’s Prime the tender bid for Kosova e Re. of a long term strategy for sustain- scale. that, during a visit by senior Kosovo Minister, Hashim Thaci, adding that A press release issued by the com- able energy supply. Thaci has not said when the gov- leaders to Washington earlier this the new facility will meet European pany said that “the company is As part of the deal, lignite reserves ernment will select a bidder for this month, the World Bank and the US standards. pulling out due to the complexity of at Bardh and Mirash, and the new project. agreed to take a joint position. Several officials close to the deal have told Prishtina Insight that the compromise broadly favours the Thaci Says Serbia Considering Kosovo World Bank position, which advo- cates not including the older power stations in the tender for the new Kosova e Re, New Kosovo, power Recognition plant, and a phased approach to building the new lignite-powered elgrade is considering recog- want to ruin this will of Belgrade plant. nising Kosovo’s independ- with my declarations,” he said, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci Bence, Kosovo’s Prime when pressed about details of the said on Wednesday that a 2,000 MW Minister Hashim Thaci claimed. discussions. plant would be built in two stages, Kosovo’s government Thaci made the comments dur- with the first 1,000 MW plant being spokesman, Memli Krasniqi, con- ing a meeting with several journal- built immediately. firmed to Prishtina Insight that ists from Serbia, who are staying in Thaci told Belgrade journalists on Kosovo as part of an EULEX proj- Tuesday that Serbia was consider- ect. ing recognising Kosovo as a coun- Serbia’s government has dis- try. missed the comments. “I think you have started viewing Talking about arrest warrants www.prishtinainsight.com the first signs from Belgrade,” said issued against Kosovar Albanians Thaci, referring to a shift towards a by Serbia, and Interpol’s arrest Publisher: more positive stance on Kosovo. warrants, Thaci said that this poli- BIRN Thaci said he gained this impres- cy is lamentable. “It’s better if Balkan Investigative Reporting Network sion during informal talks with Belgrade dealt with its European political leaders of Belgrade, with- future rather than with ridiculous Mensa e Studenteve, first floor byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit 10000, Prishtina out giving specific names. “I don’t indictments.” Hashim Thaci claimed Serbia was considering recognising Kosovo Kosovo Phone: +381 (0) 38 24 33 58 Fax: +381 (0) 38 22 44 98 [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief: Mass Grave Uncovered Lawrence Marzouk he remains of 11 people, “EULEX/OMPF, in coordination [email protected] including four children, have with the KP and the EULEX War Tbeen discovered in a mass Crimes Investigation Unit, Managing Editor: grave dating back to 1998, the EU assessed and exhumed the site, Vjosa Musliu rule-of-law mission in Kosovo has recovering skeletonised body parts [email protected] confirmed. of at least 11 individuals, pre- Following a tip-off that land next sumed to be missing persons. Editorial Team: to the Gjilan to Kamenica road, in Amongst the recovered body parts, Ana Petruseva, Arif Muharremi, eastern Kosovo, had been dug up in the remains of four children were Gordana Igric, Jeta Xharra, Marcus 1998, EULEX and Kosovo Police, found.” Tanner and Shega A’Mula KP, began excavating the site. Some 380m2 of land was excavat- The remains have now been ed during three days at the site Marketing, Sales & Distribution: transferred to EULEX’s Office of close to Kmetovce/Kmetofc village, [email protected] the Missing Persons and Forensic approximately 5km northeast of Medicine, OMPF, where “autopsy Gjilan. Design & Layout: “Rrjeti” and identification procedures” will Around 2,000 people remain begin this week. Samples of bone missing following the conflict Printing: Interpress R. Company will be selected and sent for DNA between ethnic-Albanians and analysis. Serbs in Kosovo, which ended with Copyright © BIRN byPhoto EULEX In a statement, EULEX wrote: NATO intervention in 1999. The Office of the Missing Persons and Forensic Medicine is inspecting bones from the grave business • july 17 - 30, 2009 5 Kosovo Economists Query Use of ‘Frozen’ Billion Assets held in banks and international markets need to be pumped into the ailing domestic economy right now, some say.

By Lavdim Hamidi in Prishtina byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit Air Berlin is starting flights from Prishtina to Zurich in October

conomists and politicians are querying whether about 1 bil- Air Berlin Starts Kosovo Elion euro, now invested in banks and markets, might be better used circulating in the local econo- Flights and Promises More my. he second biggest German USA. Almost half the sum - more than air company, Air Berlin, has Remzi Ejupi, head of Kosova 400 million euros – has come from Tsigned a contract with Airlines, said he hopes to connect the sale of state assets and is held in Kosova Airlines for 10 flights per Prishtina with countries where Kosovo’s central bank. week between Prishtina and Zurich Kosovo’s diaspora lives and works. Another 300 million or so, accu- byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit from October Prishtina’s International Airport mulated by the Pensions Savings Kosovo’s cash remains outside the coutry Joachim Unold, owner of Air has begun working 24 hours a day Trust, has been invested in interna- Berlin, said Kosovo’s citizens will to offer reduced taxes for air com- tional markets. waste. said any move to withdraw the soon be able to get cheaper flights panies which fly at night. Another 300 million, accrued by But Gerxhaliu believes that if the investment in cash now would be a to destinations across Europe. Flights from Prishtina’s Post and Telecommunications PTK withdrew the funds and invest- huge mistake. Air Berlin is also expected to International Airport are currently Kosovo, PTK, is invested in domes- ed them elsewhere, it could act as a It would automatically result in start flights to many other destina- the most expensive in the region. tic banks. fillip to the otherwise sluggish the loss of tens of millions of euros tions in Germany, Austria and The combined value of the assets economy. because of the fall in the value of is approximately equal to just over Gerxhaliu says that 1 billion euro shares worldwide, he claimed. two-thirds of Kosovo’s annual budg- could be used to shore up the econo- “If the board were to make the et. my in this time of global financial decision to return the Trust’s asset Safet Gerxhaliu, an economist, crisis, which is having a negative to Kosovo now, we would lose about said it was unfortunate that the impact on consumption. 80 million euros owing to the money was, in a sense, “frozen”, The government urgently needs decrease in the value of interna- rather than being put to active use. to find a way to use these assets or tional market shares,” he said. “While Kosovo’s annual budget is face financial difficulties, he main- In order for the Trust to reinvest around 1.4 billion euros, another 1 tains. the funds in Kosovo, he added, billion euro from the privatisation “The critical moment of the glob- changes would need to be made to process, pension savings and the al financial crisis will be felt in the legal framework to protect PTK’s accrued surplus is frozen autumn,” he said, “therefore we investments, he added. and not circulating in the econo- need to uncover the best way to During the last election cam- my,” Gerxhaliu said. inject these assets into our econo- paign in 2007, almost all the compet- The proceeds from privatisation my.” ing political parties promised to were transferred from the Driton Tali, a member of stimulate economic development by Privatisation Agency of Kosovo, Kosovo’s assembly, also says that encouraging reinvestment in

PAK, to Kosovo’s central bank. the money accumulated from the Kosovo. byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for The PAK has since asked for the privatisation process needs to be However, little has changed since money back in order to invest it in brought back to Kosovo, while the then and government spokesman Kosovo’s meat producers are protesting against a government tender new enterprises but the process PTK’s assets ought to be used to Memli Krasniqi admitted that the appears to have become snarled up establish a postal bank. authorities had not made any key in bureaucracy. However, Besim Beqaj, head of decisions regarding the future use Meat Producers Take to the The money accumulated by PTK, the board of the Pensions Savings of the assets in question in the now kept as deposits in Kosovo’s Trust, which has invested most of country’s economic development. commercial banks, is not going to its assets in international markets, Streets in Protest against Government Import Tender osovo’s meat producers have Association, Burim Piraj, said that Kosovo Exports Facing Tough Times as held a series of protests the change did not resolve the Kagainst a government ten- problem. “The government is tak- der for the right to import red ing decisions without any sort of Serbia Heads CEFTA From January 2010 meat. consultation,” he said. A document signed by Kosovo’s Producers in Prishtina, Peja and told Prishtina daily Zeri that prob- international community. Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, Prizren protested on Friday out- lems and restrictions are likely to is scheduled to lead CEFTA in 2011. authorised only international com- side the government building. By Albana Ulaj continue. CEFTA is a free-trade agreement panies to compete for the right to While no company has been yet in Prishtina He added that he hoped that prior between non-European-Union import meat into the country. to be selected to import meat into to Serbia’s presidency, the problem countries in central and south east The decision angered local pro- Kosovo, domestic producers allege xports from Kosovo face a could be solved with the help of the Europe. ducers who argued that the govern- that companies linked to the gov- rough ride in 2010 as Serbia ment’s move would create unfair ernment are in line to win the ten- Etakes the helm of the competition. der. Central European Free Trade Last Monday, the offending docu- Kosovo’s opposition camp has Agreement (CEFTA), it has been ment was changed to allow all labelled the changes “cosmetic”, claimed. firms, whether Kosovar or interna- and has asked for an investigation Since the end of 2008, exporters tional, to bid. Prime Minister to be launched. from Kosovo have suffered embar- Hashim Thaci declared that the Alliance for Kosovo’s Future, goes from Serbia and Bosnia, government had come to the best AAK, called on the government to which blocked products from the possible solution. annul the ‘ad hoc decision’ and to newly declared state. “After consultations with repre- start a consultation with domestic This year has not been without sentatives of meat producers we meat producers. difficulties, after CEFTA’s leader have changed article 8, which had In a report issued by the World Montenegro claimed that the been an oversight,” said Deputy Bank in 2009, inadequate nutrition Agreement was signed by UNMIK, Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci, was highlighted as a serious prob- requiring Kosovo to be represented adding that the change gives lem in Kosovo, leading to the worst as UNMIK-Kosovo. domestic companies the chance to health levels in south east Europe Photo byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit The Minister of Trade and compete. and the highest infant mortality Industry for Kosovo, Lutfi Zharku, Kosovo Customs But the head of Meat Producers rate in the region. 6 • july 17 - 30, 2009 city Prishtina Court Head Prishtina through the eyes of: Julia Rueter under Investigation Spokesperson for the EU Special Representative nton Nokaj, head of What surprised you most Prishtina’s District Court, about Prishtina? Ais under investigation after the BIRN show Life in Kosovo The surprise is that Prishtina revealed allegations that he had actually made me change the way I overruled the verdict of a panel of look at other cities in Europe now. judges by releasing a businessman People in Pristina are extremely from detention. welcoming, ready to help and open. Nokaj is suspected of having Prishtina has spoiled me in that unilaterally dismissed the deci- sense, as I am now used to very high sion of a team of judges of standards in that regard and people Prishtina’s Court, appointed by elsewhere seem less friendly now. Nokaj, which had voted to keep the man, suspected of beating his wife, What’s your favourite hang- under detention. out? Kosovo’s head of prosecution Te Shoki, Tingell Tangell, Kafe e Hilmi Zhitia told Prishtina Insight Vogel that the public prosecution had ended its preliminary investiga- Do you do anything cultural? tions and had passed the case to byPhoto Rrahmani Petrit Prishtina’s district court I think the quality and amount of Prizren’s Public Municipal cultural events going on in Prosecution. The case has been BIRN Kosovo has obtained the refuse the request, and had thus Prishtina is good. Concerts, exhibi- Julia Rueter sent to Prizren because of Nokaj’s official note sent to Kosovo’s pros- extended the period of detention. tions and film festivals - I try to live position in Prishtina’s court. ecution office from judge Dehari. Less than half an hour after the along the cultural agenda. Because “We did our initial duty. The The document details the panel’s decision, Nokaj called of the short time most events are on I never say no if I am offered one investigations are to continue now alleged legal breach Nokaj com- Dehari again to tell him that he for, I probably even do more culture of the tasty Kosovo macchiatos at Prizren’s prosecution [office],” mitted when he ruled out the deci- had an urgent issue. than in the other cities I have lived when meeting somebody.Now that I said Zhitia. sion of the panel and decided to According to the note sent to the in before. think about it, this happens actual- Nokaj told the Life in Kosovo release the Kosovar businessman. prosecution office, Nokaj asked ly quite often. It ranges from two to programme: “It is not true that the According to this official note, judge Dehari to change his deci- What is the most annoying eight. verdict to continue custody was Dehari went to the Nokaj’s office, sion and release the man. thing about Prishtina? reached. My decision was legal after having been invited by the The document explains that Traffic and the few public spaces. What’s the tastiest Kosovar and based upon time pressure and latter, to decide on a request for Dehari didn’t agree with Nokaj, food? previous debates made between release, filed by the detained man. and left his office. If you were mayor of [case judge Mejdi] Dehari and me.” According to the note, Dehari, as The following day, he discovered Prishtina for the day what would A mixed Kosovo salad with spicy Until now, police have inter- head of the panel of judges, and that the detained had been you change? peppers, potato salad, Sharr cheese, viewed the judge of the case, Mejdi two other judges, Ferid Bislimi released. white cheese, tomatoes, olives, Dehari, and others involved. and Zahide Gjonaj, had decided to Free a space in the center for a cucumbers and all the rest. park and get the traffic and parking underground. What landmark do you use to tell taxi drivers where you live? How many macchiatos do you “Stuffy” Clinton Poster drink a day? Hotel Ora. Angers Prishtiners A Taste of Kosovo ill Clinton’s famous beaming smile and cheesy wave have Bgreeted people arriving in Prishtina for many years. Gjyveq But the huge billboard along Bill his Turkish stew is pre- Clinton Boulevard has had a pared all over the Balkans. makeover, and it is not to the taste of Gjyveq can be made with many Prishtiners. T various types of meat, usually The new official photo has chicken or beef. First, the meat is angered neighbours in the Dardania cleaned with warm water and is area, who claim the new picture chopped in small pieces, then it is shows a stuffy, formal former presi- boiled for an hour until it’s cooked other vegetables. Pour the liquid dent. properly. from the boiled meat on top and “We were used to seeing the old Separately,peel the potatoes and put in the oven for 45 minutes on a photo in which the president seems cut peppers, tomatoes, aubergines low to medium heat. Gjyveq is best to greet us every day.I can’t get used and carrots. Add some green served with yogurt. to this new photo,” said Shaqir beans and rice to the mix and fry Dibrani, from the Dardania neigh- in a large pan for several minutes. For four people you need: borhood. Take the boiled meat and put in 1kg meat or 1 chicken; 5 pota- According to him, if residents the middle of a large, round bak- toes; 2 glasses of rice; 3 peppers; 2 had been asked whether to replace ing tray where you have placed the aubergines; 2 carrots; 2 tomatoes; the photo, nobody would have 2 large spoons of green beans accepted the change. “When I saw the old photo, I felt that the president was saying to me: ‘Enjoy the freedom’,” added Dibrani. But Muhamed Gashi, spokesper- Prishtina’s Airport son for Prishtina’s Municipality, said that the photo was changed because the old one was getting tatty. “It’s important to have the Gets a VIP Zone president there, no matter what the posture is,” said Gashi. rishtina International The VIP zone includes two meet- Kosovo’s authorities have also Airport has set up a VIP area ing halls, a café and a press confer- decided to put up a statue of Bill Pfor all the celebrities, VIPs ence room. Clinton in the Dardania neighbor- and other important figures who Director of Prishtina’s hood, very close to the centre of pass through the gateway. International Airport Agron Prishtina. “The airport lacked this suite,” Mustafa said that the airport is also Clinton’s popularity stems from said Kosovo’s minister of setting up a special bus to transport Telecommunications and VIPs from the airport to Prishtina.

his support for NATO bombing byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for against Serbia in 1999. Prishtiners are unhappy with the new Bill Clinto photo Transport, Fatmir Limaj. feature • july 17 - 30, 2009 7

Kosovars Swoon at ‘Albanian’ Star in Turkish Soap Opera Mehmet Kosova is the handsome, honourable lead in a Turkish series that has become essential viewing in Kosovo since TV began broadcasting ‘Bitter Life’ in May.

By Vjosa Musliu "Mehmet is an example of how a proper man should be ilence fell on Majaci, a tra- and behave," ditional Kosovar eatery in S central Prishtina, as the title sequence of Aci Hayat Kadri, a middle age man rolled on the small television. from Kosovo. Kadri, a portly, mustachioed, 60- year-old, sipped his sweet, Turkish tea after a hearty meal, “Tonight may be a bit quiet and stared up at the screen. since it’s Friday, when most of He is not your average soap the students go back home; oth- opera addict, but like countless erwise, they don’t miss a single others, has become gripped by night,” said Arian, the waiter. this low-budget Turkish drama In fact, barely a seat was featuring Mehmet Kosova, an spare by the time the show immigrant from the world’s started. Some 32 people had youngest state, as its lead char- come to this small café, and acter. “Mehmet is an example of surprisingly, the majority were how a proper man should be and young men. All appeared behave,” said Kadri, as he set- breathless at the sight of tled into the show. Mehmet Kosova, whispering The small restaurant was only to order their macchiato crammed with men of a similar coffees and soft drinks during age, tucking into their sugjuk the ad breaks. and qebapi. Most have chosen to “I like this soap opera very come to their favourite eatery to much. Mehmet Kosova is a real watch the show, while admonish- Mehmet Kosova, the dashing star of the show man. He is brave and has a very strong character,” said ing their wives for wasting time spending 7 million euro on a Albanians who live in Turkey out of place in a fairy tale. Arianit, just 22 and a student gawping at the dashing Mehmet. Even students have succumbed publicity campaign run by the have preserved the true Kosovar in the technical faculty. to Mehmet’s appeal. You might advertising firm Saatchi & traditions.” She hadn’t missed a Fortesa, a female freshman expect the students of the Saatchi. single episode of Bitter Life. at the faculty of history, said About 50 to 60 students University of Prishtina to be out So, locals rejoice at the posi- Mehmet Kosova is a brave and that apart from Mehmet’s good on Fridays, partying hard. But crowd in each evening for tive portrayal of a member of honorable man, hailing from a looks, “The soap opera looks at no matter which play is being their dose of Bitter Life in a their diaspora in Turkey, a coun- very poor family. His innocence, a very important theme from performed in the theatre, who is try with which Kosovo has close strong character and respect are which we can all learn.” café near the campus of the clubbing at “Spray”, or which political, historical and cultural peerless. He never cheats and he According to her, Kosovar men cafés are putting on live music, University of Prishtina's. bonds. would not have sex with his girl- are no longer like Mehmet most seem to set aside the 8pm- Elfete, a 40-year-old housewife friend before marriage. This Kosova, in terms of honour 9pm slot. Viewing figures for Bitter said: “It’s great to see a positive marks him out from the double- and morality. Life, as the serial is called in portrayal of Kosovars. While crossing, morally corrupt Turks Meanwhile, Kosovar fans of English, have yet to be released. men like Mehmet are quite rare that he has to deal with in the Mehmet Kosova is a brave Mehmet Kosova have set up a But on weekdays at 8pm it can these days, those Kosovo show. His character would not be and honorable man, hailing website, updating it regularly seem like almost every other with information on forthcom- home, café and restaurant is from a very poor family. His ing episodes and chat forums. tuned into the five-year-old soap, innocence, strong character Most of the comments sub- which first graced Kosovo’s mitted praise the good looks screens in May. and respect are peerless. and character of Mehmet in According to Kadri, very few superlative terms. Some 300 have written in, some calling men in Kosovo have retained One small café near the stu- for Mehmet to marry the girl Mehmet’s values. “Power and dent campus in Prishtina has he is not in love with in the money destroys morality,” he turned into an unusual form of show, and others inviting him lamented, noting that in the old cinema, offering Mehmet to Kosovo. days, people were “poor but Kosova on a widescreen televi- Fans of Mehmet have filled decent”. sion every night. Waiters say the web page of the producer of Kosovars have long watched about 50 to 60 students crowd Bitter Life, Osman Sinav too, Latin American soaps, avidly in each evening for their dose hailing him for producing the following cheesy sagas revolving of Bitter Life. Chairs are swift- soap, for choosing Mehmet as around marital betrayals and ly moved towards the big the best character and, of split-ups, but Bitter Life has cre- screen as students gather, course, urging him to make ated a buzz of its own. about quarter of an hour another soap opera with a sim- Kosovo is struggling to byPhoto Insight Prishtina Musliu for Vjosa before 8pm, to get the best ilar theme. improve its image in the West, Students gather at a bar to watch the Turkish soap Bitter Life seats. 8 • july 17 - 30, 2009 guide

A Marble Dream beneath Gadime A tour through Gadime cave may cost just 2.50 euro, but feels like a ticket to a different world, just a few meters away from our ordinary lives

By Arif Muharremi in Prishtina

t all happened like in the fairy tales: while Ahmet Asllani was Idigging for stones to build his house, he discovered a huge world of crystals beneath his feet. The crystals may not have been precious stones, but quickly the place became one of the most attractive and popular tourist spots in Kosovo – the marble caves of Gadime. Gadime cave, named after the nearby village of the same name, is lavishly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, as well as foun- tains of water, springing from the earth. The walls are made of smooth, rounded marble and the ceiling is like a sea of rolling waves. “The cave is one kilometre and 350 meters long and the cave’s crystals grow one millimetre every thir- ty thousand years,” says Nazif Tasholli, director of Gadime cave. There are two “floors” in Gadime Strange formations in Gadime Cave cave, but the second level is closed because it has not been properly out of the ground everywhere. million years old, and the tempera- named the ‘Concert Hall’, so called ing,” he says. explored. Tasholli explains there is Electric lights in the cave halls cre- ture is constant, fourteen degrees because in 1974 a local school didn’t Tasholli explains there is a leg- a plan for further searches in the ate a beautiful effect, conjuring up Celsius in the summer as well as in have a place for a concert so per- end that a hunting dog entered the area. an exotic atmosphere akin to the winter, but electric lights raise it formed in the cave. cave chasing a rabbit and got 15 The cave is almost entirely paved Indiana Jones films. two degrees more,” explains Some aragonites and crystals kilometers inside. “So the cave is and there are stalagmites that rise “The cave is approximately 80 Tasholli, showing us a cave hall found there are unique to Gadime, around fifteen kilometers long, but Tasholli says. “Aragonites are crys- since 1974 there has been no further tals that break the law of gravity exploration of its space.” since the drop of water does not fall The marble figures in the cave to the ground but sucks itself into have been named after the forms the crystal to help it form various they take. You have Scanderbeg’s shapes,” he says. Beard, Elephant Foot, Hall of Tears, The tour through the cave costs but also a Garden of Love, where 2.50 euros and most people says it’s Romeo and Juliet – a stalactite and well worth it. stalagmite – aim towards each Fidan Nuredini, a Kosovar other. Albanian living in Sweden, says he “The Romeo and Juliet are had always wanted to see the cave expected to be together in one mil- but couldn’t due to his short visits lion and five hundred thousand to Kosovo. “But now, not only will I years,” Tasholli explains. tell all my friends in Sweden they “Hopefully by that time the cave have to come here, but I’ll come will be a world phenomenon and a around every year because it leaves must-see for international you breathless. It’s so mesmeris- tourists.”

How to get there: Gadime is half way between Lipjan and Ferizaj

Visitors explore the extensive network of caves on the east side of the main Skopje road. Photo by Blerim Berisha for Prishtina Insight Photo by Blerim Berisha for Prishtina Insight trciedr,diningfurniture, attractive dark, restaurants by isreplaced rural aroma across therestaurant. waftingameaty an opengrill, which includes encircles thebar, insidediningarea The houses. orange-roofed the backdrop of like aSwisscabin retreat against which looksmore Country House, cuisine.chic withfarm-fresh rural this restaurant incorporates gatherings,rations orloudparty cheesy folklore deco- tional music, Forget thetradi- Country House. A House Rural Views atCountry Fresh Cookingand Service, City Steps leading to Country House Great views are onoffer from your table The outdated décortypical of The staircaseA large leadsupto food &drink eatery accurately named awaits you at this rural Kosovarmodern meal yManeater inPrishtina By grilled and succulentveal.grilled of portions thegenerous the dish, which did notoutdothestarof potato and brown rice, tions of complimented withsmallpor- mealwasalso The onion and courgette. chopped peppers, side of the chops lookof andtherustic theveal standing freshness of ouresteemfor theout- earned that itisalmost thesamething. justified hismistake by saying us thewrong meat dishandlater choice asthewaiterbrought grill there wassome confusion over the However, pastry for our second. anddecidedona the firstorder, ly optionfor went withthegrill ents were obviously fresh. but theingredi- es inPrishtina, ly comparable toany similardish- roasted mushroomsThe were fair- theoven. had just beentaken outof thecheese, consistency of judgingby the slightly scorched yet stillcreamy which, cream, ed anddrowned inathick sour arrived peppers The roast- tizers. roasted mushrooms for ourappe- options. grill from theextensive listof andsomemeat burgers, salads, seafood, fresh fish, order pizza, Butyou canalso oven baked tava. fresh veal and buttery pastries, peppers, such asgrilled cialties, Prishtina. located just15minutes outsideof Bernica, calm countrysideof tioned atop ahilloverlooking the theoutdoortables sta- one of ing-to-floor windows. view comfortably from theceil- which you can Kosovo landscape, andthehilly appropriate lighting, high ceilingsaccentuated by Nevertheless, the grilled meat thegrilled Nevertheless, we natural- For themaindishes, We went and withfresh peppers Kosovar spe- menu isfullof The andIsat atMy diningpartner

Photo by Blerim Berisha for Prishtina Insight service isalways appreciated. Attentive our table momentslater. to delectable slicedwatermelon since hesummonedaplate fullof noticed ourslightdisappointment thewaitermusthave side, soggy Flavoursome but abitonthe day.on that particular since nothingelsewasavailable bakeries across thecountry. onapar with otherselectionsavailable in again, but was, made, fli tastedauthenticandhome- The sour cream andlocalcheese. pastry, arrived plated nexttopeppers, softlayers of posed of com- A slice, best known dishes. Kosovo’s which isoneof with fli, Rustic feel inCountry House For we dessert hadatiramisu, For thepastryoptionwe went standards. fresh cookingwithbigtown try, restaurant which combinescoun- isa This clientele. and family food rustic rounding landscape, owing tothesur- was pleasant, Telephone: 044656054 will beonyour right-hand side. which Mercedes-Benz garage, Take a rightafter theMuciqi Podujeve after leaving Prishtina. Country House isoff theroad to Grade: 3.5/5 l nal thediningexperience All inall, We Recommend at top speed. for authenticdishes served eatery scores highmarks thissnug in Prishtina, restaurants called ‘Italian’ Among amyriad of so night onthetown. to findsome food after a lunch break oronamission whether itbeonaquick need of some quality chow, spot to stop atwhenindire Sach Pizza isdefinitely the and bringonthefiesta. Gatheryour friends beer. even imported Mexican less cocktail optionsand washed down withcount- main dishes are nicely appetizers andsavoury Mouth-watering Cantina. dining atCavallero Mexican late five star resort while palm trees andanimmacu- soaring less Mexican coast, It’s easy to imagineaspot- 0 0 0 B S C 4 4 4 a a a 4 4 4 c s v

/ / h i a 5 uy1 0 2009 • july 17-30, l 0 0 i P l 0 c l 4 4 e 8 i o 9 9 z r

z o 8 2 8 a 7 9 0 6 6

2 8 7 9 6 6 9 10 • july 17 - 30, 2009 arte Exit Festival: Four Days, 500 Performers and 200,000 Revellers

he annual EXIT festival in year’s festival. Novi Sad, Serbia, has become It’s not the nature of the com- Tone of the most popular of its pound or even the lack of shade that kind in Europe, with the number of made me uncomfortable - although foreign visitors, notably from you risk baking alive in your tent if Britain, growing every year. The you sleep past nine o’clock in the Petrovaradin fortress, overlooking morning - it’s the eerie sight of a the Danube, last weekend welcomed graveyard next to it. 200,000 people for another extrava- Having somehow worked my way ganza. The event was marred by through unbearably chaotic traffic the death of a 22-year-old Britain, to reach the camp with my car, the but the show, nonetheless, went on. first thing I saw when I parked was Here we bring you our reporter a funeral, while techno music was Zoran Milosavljevic’s thoughts and blaring from a set of speakers only Sophie Cottrell’s photos from one of a few metres away across the street. the world’s great festivals. The organisers need not only to keep EXIT alive, but preserve its July 10: Serbia Kicks Off original nature and soul too. 10th Exit Festival Commercialism is of course inevitable to make sure the event

continues to develop from its infant byPhoto Sophie Cottrell The annual EXIT music festival stage, but the organisers should be Dance Arena as the sun rises in Novi Sad got off to a flying start careful that it doesn’t develop into a on Thursday night, with more than festival for rich foreigners and that man played an interlude to one of ever seen in the Dance Arena. 40,000 revellers thronging the stages it keeps its soul firmly grounded in their biggest hits, drawing a stand- Shifting the camp site from its old at the Petrovaradin Fortress to its anarchistic past. Make money ing ovation from the crowd. location to a disused army com- watch their favourite bands in guys, by all means, but keep hold of Not for a second was I tempted to pound has created a lot of issues, a action. your roots. make my way to the front half of long and tiring walk to the fortress Expectably, the DJs in the gigan- the frenzied masses, whose zest and and the city centre being one of tic Dance Arena drew most of them, 11 July: Music enthusiasm can only be compared them, but one of the aspects has with more than 20,000 followers of to the kind of pandemonium The actually turned out to be a blessing mainstream electronic music still Overshadowed by Death at Prodigy caused here a couple of in disguise. partying hard when I left them at Serbia’s EXIT years ago. Now that the Exit beach stage is byPhoto Sophie Cottrell sunrise. But, The Prodigy will be back on defunct after the old campsite was Reveller at Exit Festival Two sets featuring a pair of back- The tragic death of a 22-year-old Sunday,so expect more of the same. shut down, we’ve finally moved to-back teams, Lee Burridge and the same venue. British visitor, who fell to his death Elsewhere, Jamaican old boy down to Novi Sad’s official Strand Steve Lawler followed by Sasha An explosive mixture of their old from the walls of the Petrovaradin Max Romeo produced another clas- Beach, offering plenty of daytime joining forces with John Digweed, hits, namely Firestarter, Out of fortress overnight has cast a shad- sic gig on the Fusion stage, whose entertainment. threw the crowds into a delirium Space and Breathe, blended immac- ow over proceedings at the 10th size and popularity has grown with Apart from water sports facili- long after all the other stages had ties, restaurants and baking in the ulately with songs from their new called it a night. sun, Strand also offers daily chill- album. The crowd, led by tireless A spectacular ten-minute fire- out sessions starting at 8am, as well teenagers in the front rows, swayed work display opened the event and as plenty of shade under its trees back and forth. then, on the main stage, Lily Allen for tired revellers. Tucked in a corner with my was well received. Her brand of Favourable sleeping conditions friends from central Serbia and classy vocal pop went down well have been hard to come by in the Britain, we enjoyed it from a safe dis- with the younger crowd, but it was camp, so we soldier on into tance and harked back to memories the Sheffield-based Arctic Monkeys Saturday,when the kings of electro- of a more adventurous time in our who set alight the opening night pop Kraftwerk await after what will lives, when we would have been up with a truly fantastic show. Their be a much anticipated set by Moby. there setting the pace to proceedings. act was followed by breakbeat kings That will be followed by a mouth- The all-night exertions ended in Caspa and Rusco. watering tripleheader in the Dance the equally gargantuan Dance EXIT has changed over the years, Arena, with Steve Angello perform- Arena, where techno maestros Carl and not always for the better. Many ing back-to-back with Sebastian Cox and Green Velvet officially of the stages, which in previous Ingrosso after French audio-visual closed EXIT 2009 with a DJ set years had entertained the visitors house music master Etienne de which lasted well into Monday until the early morning hours, were Crecy. morning. We left at about 7am, closed and their bars were no He follows the opening back-to- drawing the last bit of strength longer serving drinks after 4 am back session by Eric Prydz and from our tired bodies to trek back to this morning – not even the Reggae Adam Beyer, and I can’t wait to see the camp, which seemed like para- Stage, which I fondly remember for how this mixture of mainstream dise when we finally reached it, offering a refreshing dose of chill- house and minimal techno will go despite all its shortcomings. out music until 10 am in years past. down with the crowd. Neither the poor hygienic facili- The more restrictive policies ties nor the lack of shade, which Photo byPhoto Sophie Cottrell have certainly not made any of the byPhoto Sophie Cottrell turned the tents into ovens in day- Madness Lily Allen July 13: Prodigy Headline at visitors happier after they time, could spoil the feeling that we embarked on their pilgrimage to EXIT Finale have been deprived of absolutely EXIT Festival in Novi Sad this each Exit down the years. the medieval Petrovaradin fortress. It’s now easily the third biggest nothing during our four-day pur- morning. Most festival goers were Last night’s spectacular concert Brass bands and mainstream draw at the festival, behind the suit of pleasure. oblivious to the tragedy and danced by the Prodigy at Serbia’s EXIT 2009 disco music no longer blare from Main Stage and the Dance Arena. Having descended into a well on into the small hours. music festival was the highlight the the alleys surrounding Romeo was followed by a popular deserved few hours of sleep, I woke The youngster, Anthony Fisk, a July 9-12 event, and provided a per- Petrovaradin when you leave the local band called Hladno Pivo (Cold up to the sight of most people pack- Londoner, in circumstances as yet fect ending to the four-day party fortress. Beer), who impressed with their ing their tents and planning next unclear, fell from the fortress, which drew a total of 200,000 local Perhaps this is all part of grow- mix of old-fashioned rock gar- year’s trip to Novi Sad and its mag- perched high on a promontory and foreign visitors to Novi Sad. ing up. What was originally an act nished with a bit of pop. nificent medieval fortress. above the Danube, and died from There is a reason why you save of defiance to the hated Milosevic Back in the Arena, the unrelent- But it’s not over yet folks, the city his injuries in the ambulance on the the best for last, and the organisers regime has become a mainstream ing rain, which turned the area into beach awaits to bid us farewell with way to hospital. did just that when they decided to festival, and mainstream events a mud-bath, seemed to deter not a a chill-out session next to the The previous night, the huge put Madness and The Prodigy back can’t behave in the occasionally single electronic music fan from Danube’s banks. crowd of revellers had endured the to back on the Main Stage for the anarchistic way that they used to. their favourite site at the So it will be lights out with a big, mud caused by some persistent rain final night. Torrential rain in recent weeks Petrovaradin fortress. joyful splash at the Strand, the to dance the night away to some of Up to 40,000 revellers thronged has forced the organisers to move Happy revellers slipped and slid goodbyes and a parting beer with all the world’s biggest bands and DJs. the area and while Madness served the camp from the banks of the into potholes created by the unfor- my old friends and the new ones I Bagpipes don’t often set alight a us with a tasty prelude comprising Danube to an obsolete army com- giving weather and the enchanting made this year. heavy metal concert. But that’s of most of their evergreen hits, The plex at the far edge of the fortress, beats of Deep Dish’s Dubfire, whose This may perhaps sound super- exactly what happened at the Main Prodigy ignited the kind of pande- but they will surely want to pick a back-to-back set with Ritchie fluous, but all of us are really look- Stage last night, when Korn’s front- monium they did two years ago at more suitable location for next Hawtin, was one of the best I’ve ing forward to EXIT 2010. inside Prishtina • july 17 - 30, 2009 11 Bar Review Maroon Pub ven though practically every bar in town has that ‘where Eeveryone knows your name’ feel, Maroon Pub has the added neighbourhood tavern look that just adds to the sense of feeling like you’re at home. Despite its very obvious new interior design and furnishings, the owners of the area’s newest drinking hole have created a classic pub environment that just feels like it’s been around for years. Maroon is a former residential home converted into a downstairs bar and dancing area, and has a lounge-like setting upstairs. English-style wallpaper adorn the walls, while large leather couches

Photo byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for and chairs compliment classic bar Sultan Murad’s memorial, just outside of Prishtina tables and chairs which are the per-

fect sprawling points to sit at with byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for your favourite drink and drinking Maroon Bar companions. weekends. Plans for live bands and The array of spirits and whisky DJs are also in the works for the A Sultan’s Resting Place available is also quite diverse, with remaining summer season. guarded his place of departure, which functions as a biographical options such as Bombay Sapphire And for those who prefer their which happened during the Battle museum to the fallen sultan, gin, orange-flavoured Grey Goose, drink served early,Maroon Pub sur- of Kosovo between the Serb funded by both Kosovo’s and Belvedere vodka and a range of prisingly has a happy hour from Empire, and it allies, and Turkey’s ministries of culture, as hard to find whiskies. Maroon also By Shega A’Mula 7am to 10am in the morning, per- Ottoman Turks in 1389. is the maintenance of the tomb. offers up Italian-inspired fast food, in Prishtina haps an interesting time to drop by Just as the history of the One mulberry tree is believed to perfectly suited for those alcohol- and see just who those early morn- Balkans is sometimes baffling be the only living survivor of the induced cravings. ing drunks are. Happy hours are urrounded by empty fields and contested, so is the story of battle, 600 years on. Nothing compliments a pub bet- also from 4pm to 7pm, with a large and the odd three-story Murad’s death. But regardless of Straight ahead is the stone ter than funky music, a rule the selection of reasonably-priced cock- Shouse, around ten minutes tales depicting either a brave fall building surrounding Murad’s owners of Maroon have chosen to tails to choose from. Maroon Pub is outside of Prishtina, is the grand in battle or perhaps a murder tomb, a large dome covered mau- stick to. Jazz dominates the scene located at Fehmi Agani, next to memorial ground of Sultan plot, visiting the sultan’s tomb is soleum constructed using a tradi- on most nights, while Latin salsa- Gagi café. Murad I, reportedly the only a great way to discover ancient tional Ottoman design. Fadil will like tracks are saved for the wilder Ottoman sultan ever to die in bat- Ottoman remnants in Kosovo. ask you to take off your shoes tle. Judging by the excellent Fadil, the admissions clerk, before you enter. At this time do preservation work and commemo- will greet you upon entering the not forget to invite Sanija along, Shop Review rative nature of the tomb, Murad, large courtyard of the memorial the elderly and brisk Kosovar- sometimes written Murat, was grounds, which is shaded by Bosnian woman whose family has lucky enough to kick the bucket dozens of trees bearing fruits lived on, and maintained, the in Kosovo, as generations of the such as plums, apples and pears. grounds for centuries. She serves Fini same family have tirelessly safe- Directly to your right is a house as the perfect tour guide, but only rishtina is a town crammed children could craft hang along the speaks Bosnian and Turkish. full of cafés, bars, and restau- walls of the playroom, exemplifying Fadil therefore works as a trans- Prants aimed at adults, leaving just one of the many activities avail- lator. One or two visitors stop at you to wonder sometimes what able to visiting children. Story time, the site every couple of days, says there is for children. Well, theatre, sculpture, dance and music Fadil. Prishtina’s parents now have the are just some of the activities Sanija tells Prishtina Insight chance to engage their offspring in a Djellza has chosen to offer. These that her deceased husband’s fami- range of activities at Fini Centre, activities are unfortunately rare in ly, who were early immigrants the kind of crèche so popular in the Prishtina, but Fini will hopefully set from Uzbekistan, travelled to West. The venue not only preaches a trend for others to follow. Kosovo during the years of quality childcare, but also the The outdoor area includes a safe Ottoman occupation. They took importance of stirring up the imag- playground and sandpit, completely up the responsibility of protect- inations of its children, all in very surrounded by fencing, ensuring ing the tomb. Many members of modern setting. the safety of children. Sitting areas her husband’s family are buried Fini is an indoor and outdoor for parents are located outside and play area developed by young urban inside for those who have the time to in the back garden of the tomb. mother Djellza who wanted her son view their child’s activities or are Murad’s tomb is placed under a to continue growing up in similar just as eager to engage in the playful beautifully hand painted dome environment to that of their previ- atmosphere. which incorporates Ottoman flo- ous residence in London. The plush A pre-school programme is also ral patterns with Arabic script. carpeting, colourful plastic furnish- available for children between the The tomb is wrapped in Islamic- ings specially ordered from Greece, ages of three and seven from the influenced green fabric, again and vibrant play area is reminis- morning to afternoon with a certi- using Arabic scripture which is a cent of any western play area, and fied teacher who has completed her common throughout tombs in the greatly differs from the unfortu- childcare and teaching exams in Islamic world. nately colder and barer schools and Norway. Afternoon play sessions Sanija tells Prishtina Insight daycare centres in Kosovo, still run from 3pm to 5 pm for children that Murad’s body was returned trapped in the socialist era of the under ten, and the cost of one after- for a traditional burial in the city past. noon’s activity is just 2 euro. For of Bursa in Turkey. Whether the Imaginative paintings that only more information call 049 464544 site of the mausoleum is the location where his tent was pitched, he died, or neither of these, is shrouded in the haze of history. It is believed his organs may have been buried on the battlefield. And if you are not interested in trying to unpick the history of the site, the bucolic scenery is also worth the trip. The Sultan Murad I Turbe Complex is on the main Prishtina Photo byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for

Murad’s tomb to Mitrovica highway. byPhoto Insight Prishtina Blerim Berisha for 12 • july 17 - 30, 2009 neighbourhood In Distant Albania, Uighurs Follow China’s Crackdown

By Besar Likmeta byPhoto Teofilovski Ognen Macedonia's Parliament

hen rioting between Han Chinese and members of the Uighur Macedonia Cabinet Wminority engulfed the city of Urumqi, in Xinjang, earlier this month, Reshuffle Agreed leaving 150 people dead, in Albania, Abu acedonia’s parliament has approved a Bakker Qassim, a former Uighur detainee reshuffle of the centre-right Prime in Guantanamo, was struggling to have his Minister’s cabinet, following a lengthy ple- internet provider fix the connection that M nary session. had been cut a few days earlier. The reshuffle, the first in PM Nikola Gruevski’s As one of five Chinese Uighurs released government since he took over in 2006, was made last to Albania in 2006 after US authorities Wednesday, after several ministers resigned from feared that repatriating them to China office and Finance Minister Trajko Slaveski was would expose them to persecution, Qassim sacked. The changes were given parliamentary knows that phoning his family in China to approval late on Friday night. ask what is going on would mean trouble Photo byPhoto Albania BIRN The debate was marked by a heated exchange for them. Abu Bakr Qassim between the Prime Minister and the outgoing “I talked to my family a few days ago, but Finance Minister Slaveski, who was the only minis- I could not ask them about anything rights,” it adds. ied young man to send are not exempt – ter fired on Wednesday. The other departures were because the phones are tapped,” Qassim Xinjiang, an oil-rich province in west- men and women as old as 70, and children formal resignations. says. ern China, is often referred to by academ- as young as 12, are reported by Uighurs Slaveski has been seen as one of Gruevski’s key Like the rest of the world, he has to ics as “China’s other Tibet”. Like the as having participated,” the rights watch- players in the last three years. In his speech to parlia- depend on the few reports and the internet Tibetans, Uighurs are seen in Beijing as dog group says. ment, he warned that an urgent budget cut of some for news of Xinjiang, trying to get an idea posing an ethno-nationalist threat to the When Abu Bakker Qassim left home in 100 million euros is needed to respond to the shrink- of the perils that the wife and two young Chinese state. Xingjian province in 2001, his dream was ing tax revenue caused by the global crisis. children he left behind more than nine Qassim says repression of the Uighurs to reach Western Europe, or, preferably, “Do not wait until September, put this issue on an years ago are facing. intensified following riots in 1997, after the United States. emergency session,” he urged. The Uighurs are a Turkic-speaking, which the Chinese authorities started a He joined a larger group of would-be mainly Sunni Islamic ethnic group with a campaign of massive lay offs, arrests and migrants of 17 as they set off through the long history in Central Asia. In China, they even executions. Taxes on Uighur-run neighbouring Central Asian republics of are concentrated in the western regions, an businesses in Xinjiang were doubled or Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, area historically claimed by competing tripled. he claims. empires, warlords and ethnic groups. “The Han Chinese were brought in to In the winter of 2001, they arrived in According to the latest Chinese census in take our jobs and businesses, while they the Afghan city of Jalalabad only days 2000, there are more than 18 million people forced Uighurs to move and work in other before the start of a US bombing cam- living in Xinjiang, of whom 47 per cent are areas of the country in an effort to assim- paign aimed at overthrowing the Taliban Uighurs, 40 per cent are Han Chinese while ilate us,” Qassim says. regime and rooting out Al Qaeda. Within 12 per cent of the population is made up of “I have had friends and family arrested days of their arrival, Jalalabad was other ethnic groups. often just for being devout Muslims and bombed by US fighter jets, so they left to because they were seen praying in the seek sanctuary in neighbouring mosque more than authorities approved Pakistan.

As one of five Chinese Uighurs of,” he adds. Little did they know that the villagers byPhoto Albania BIRN released to Albania in 2006 after US According to human rights groups the who greeted them warmly on the other Apollonia authorities feared that repatriating protests on Sunday in Xinjiang are side of the border had, only a few days reported to have begun with non-violent earlier, been targeted by masses of fliers them to China would expose them demonstrations against government dropped by US planes, promising that Tomb Raiders Try to Plunder to persecution, Qassim knows that inaction after violent clashes erupted whosoever “hunts an Arab becomes a between Uighur workers and Han rich man”. Albania Ancient City phoning his family in China to ask Chinese at a factory in southern China. lbanian police are on the hunt for a group of what is going on would mean trou- The riots at the factory reportedly left tomb raiders who attempted to open a series two Uighur workers dead. “As many as one million Uighur girls ble for them. Aof graves in the ancient city of Apollonia on Chinese officials, speaking to the state- have been relocated in other parts Sunday. owned news agency Xinhua, contested of China in recent years, where they The raiders, who remain unidentified and are sus- Human rights groups including this version of events, claiming the riots pected of being part of regional ring which smuggles Amnesty International have reported that were part of a series of terrorist attacks are often forced to marry Han artifacts, tried to plunder 2000-year-old graves, local China has led a campaign to systematically plotted by Uighur separatists. Chinese,” broadcaster Top-Channel TV reported. erase the ethnic identity of Uighurs in An especially unpopular policy that The archaeological park of the ancient city of recent years, promoting massive Han has aroused a lot of anger among Apollonia is located only eight kilometres outside the Chinese immigration and restricting the Uighurs, according to Qassim, is the Qaziim, a Chineese Uighurs’ rights to practice their Islamic forced resettlement of Uighur girls in city of Fier, and has been a repeated target for thieves. faith. other parts of county,where, according to Uighur in Albania The theft of antiques, which became rampant in Their plight has worsened since the popular belief, they are often raped and the 1990s as Albania struggled through a period of September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on mistreated by company bosses. Though the Uighurs had no knowledge anarchy and lawlessness following the collapse of a New York, after which many authorities “As many as one million Uighur girls of, let alone a hand in, the September 11, series of pyramid-like investment schemes, has been have cast Uighur discontent within the have been relocated in other parts of 2001 attacks, the men were handed over to curbed in recent years. framework of international terrorism. China in recent years, where they are the Pakistan authorities for the promised However, due to the large number of archaeologi- “Government policies, including those often forced to marry Han Chinese,” says reward of $5,000. They would spend the cal sites in the country, thefts have continued to be a that limit use of the Uighur language, Qassim. “If they refuse to resettle, the next four months in jail in Pakistan problem. severe restrictions on freedom of reli- communist party threatens to take their before being sent to Guantanamo Bay. “Antiques that are stolen from museums are docu- gion, and a sustained influx of Han home or either their land,” he adds. The Uighurs spent the next five years mented and sooner or later they will emerge in the Chinese migrants into the region, are According to Amnesty, Xinjiang is the until their release in an iron cage at Camp international market; however, those stolen from destroying customs and, together with only area of China where the general Delta. Ironically, their plight in archaeological sites remain undocumented and lost employment discrimination, fuelling dis- population is systematically subjected to Guantanamo was used by the Chinese gov- forever,” Lorenc Bejko, a rescue archaeologist and content and ethnic tensions,” says a government policy of forced labour. ernment to intensify its harassment of former director of the National Institute of Amnesty in a report published in April. Under a system referred to as “hashar”, Uighur people, with the excuse that it was Monuments, told Prishtina Insight. “The government has mounted an farming families are fined if they fail to part of “war on terror”. The ancient city of Apollonia is one of Albania’s aggressive campaign that has led to the send a family member, sometimes several “The Chinese used the US-led war on ter- main archaeological sites. arrest and arbitrary detention of thou- times each year, to labour on agricultur- ror to justify its war on the Uighurs,” Established by Greek settlers in the 7th century sands of Uighurs on charges of ‘terror- al, infrastructural and other public Qassim says. “Because we were wrongly BC, the city reached its heyday during the 4th and 3rd ism, separatism and religious extremism’ works. deemed terrorist, all Uighurs now are centuries BC as one of the most important cultural for peacefully exercising their human “Families that do not have an able-bod- deemed terrorists,” he added. and trade centres in the Mediterranean. op - ed • july 17 - 30, 2009 13 Kosova’s Son-in-Law ‘Prishtina: Don’t get me “Anacondas, Aliens, started on my bloody past’. and Polar Bears” itself to a city where two nationalities ouflage the message of Brotherhood began to live segregated lives from each and Unity. other.Run down, deprived and subjected Camouflaging the past must be the By Kreshnik Hoxha to decades of institutional neglect, the favourite pastime of Prishtinians since By Casey Cooper Johnson Kosovar capital was probably the best they have allowed architectural bar- illustration of the famous Yugoslav barism to take place in Prishtina after ragments of Prishtina’s varied proverb ‘Sto juznije, to tuzniije’ mean- 1999 for the sake of modernising the have often been asked by my Kosovar friends and col- past are found in every corner of ing the ‘The further south [in city. The old Çarshia e Qytetit (City leagues why so many strange and eccentric internationals gravitate to Kosova. “It’s the mystical and supernatural Fthe city, testifying to its history as Yugoslavia] the more deplorable’. Bazaar), built during the Ottoman era, I wonders that occur here,” I always tell them. And it is true. a melting pot of different civilisations The identity-seeking process is an was subjected to architectural bar- Few places on earth are fuller of surprises than Kosova, and it dating back to Roman times. Home to ongoing phenomenon in Prishtina. barism during the communist era, indeed attracts a motley crew. locals, wannabe locals, internationals, Even ten years after the war, it is not when the majority of the Ottoman When I first arrived here in the summer of ’99, the wave of mud, dust, and mouth-wateringly tasty uncommon to receive evil looks from buildings were destroyed and replaced internationals I rode in with were a hardened bunch of thrill macchiatos, as well as social apathy, citizens in the street when they hear by dull, grey, concrete projections, cafés where political plots are incubat- seekers, adrenaline freaks and war addicts. I was green out of someone refer to the Youth and Sports almost as a sign of denial of the city’s ed, and surrounded by its cosy Serb Centre with its old name Boro Ramizi. hippie California, but these people had been through Bosnia and Ottoman past. This denial went further enclaves, it is a complex city that has Boro Ramizi is the amalgamation of the Somalia, and Kosova was just another adventure in their caps. following the euphoria of post-war been seeking identity for decades. names of two partisans (Boro But those times are now over, and the smoke no longer rises Kosovo, when architecturally short- After the fall of every regime, Vukmirovic, a Serb, and Ramiz Sadiku, from Kosovar neighborhoods, so that tribe had moved on long sighted ‘experts’ knocked down build- Prishtina has started to rebuild itself by Albanian) who focused on enhancing ago to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Congo. With the growing ings from previous eras and began con- destroying almost everything linked the Brotherhood and Unity ideology of shortage of such war tourists, Kosova seemed doomed to structing skyscrapers painted in any with the previous regime, but traces of Yugoslavia in Kosovo. The Brotherhood become just another one hit wonder in the archive of interna- colour of the spectrum, which were the interesting history of this city sur- and Unity ideology is represented in the tional intrigue. utterly far from elegant, but definitely a vive. peculiar shape of the roof of this build- Then something amazing happened. In a village near Lipjan, Up until the 1950s, it was regarded as ing, which was meant to symbolise the good example of how to construct an several residents were witness to a rare UFO visitation, actual- an important centre of Kosovo, deeply brotherly relationship between two out-of-order city. ly capturing the incredible moment on video camera. immersed in Ottoman architecture, nations in the former Yugoslavia. Social changes in Prishtina continue Interestingly enough, the space vessel was built in the shape where Turkish was a means of commu- Having survived the war with little to loosen the links with the past, howev- of a large quadruped mammal, and hovering 50 metres above nication between Albanian Prishtinian damage, Boro Ramizi caught fire in er, certain fragments of its real history the fields, it resembled a flying donkey. When transmitted on citizens – although mainly as a means of 2001. There were people out there who still thrust out from the subterfuge, no national television, the sighting attracted a whole new wave of proving social hierarchy. This reputa- were more touched by the flames which matter how hard the locals, wannabe internationals. tion was then replaced by a different one had engulfed the building. These people locals and the cosy Serb enclave inhabi- This time they were ET lovers, astrologers, new agers, and emanating from the communist regime were the parents and grandparents of tants try to omit these fragments for the EULEX scouting teams. The cafés were full of life and discus- which regarded Prishtina as a deprived, old Prishtinians who had 2 percent of sake of proving the point that “we were sion, not about frontline excursions or emergency food but politically volatile spot of Kosovo their monthly income deducted for five here before them”. rations, but about space lore and ancient extra-terrestrial vis- within the Yugoslav Federation. years in order to contribute to the build- Kreshnik Hoxha is a Chemistry and itations. Some experts noted that the Illyrian goddess statues Following the political tensions ing of this giant complex, which nowa- Nanotechnology student in the remarkably resembled aliens, and that Kosova was, in fact, a between the Albanians and the Serbs days embraces the enormous poster of University of Hull, England and a civil supernatural hotspot. during the 1990s, Prishtina converted Adem Jashari, like an attempt to cam- society activist in Kosovo. But there has always been one Balkan neighbour which seems to always find ways of outdoing Kosova on the “strange attractions” competition. They had a longer and bloodier war, of which the war chasers always reminded me. Then they had Medjugorje, the paranormal mountain village where miracu- Road to nowhere lous sightings of the Virgin Mary occur on a weekly scheduled workmen were busy completing the So why has this largely unfinished basis. And sure enough, just after our UFO really started draw- other side of the road for the road been opened to the public when it ing attention, the damned Bosnians did it again. They discov- September deadline. The tunnel was could have been completed much faster ered a hidden valley of giant pyramids. Within weeks, all of our alien tourists disappeared to go explore the “true birth- By Lawrence Marzouk mostly finished, and the wait for the if it had remained close? The only oncoming traffic to make their way rational answer is that it was seen as an place of civilization”. Yeah right! through the one open lane was short. important boost to Prime Minister Sali This ongoing game of “keeping up with the Ahmedinovics” he ‘Patriotic Highway’, connect- But it was the first section of this Berisha just days before the Albania’s was starting to be a losing battle, and I feared that Kosova ing landlocked Kosovo to new super-highway, from the Kosovo critical elections. would slip off the map of the world’s strange and unusual, TAlbania’s Adriatic coast, has border to Kalimash, which convinced Balkan Insight revealed last month invariably occupied by the likes of Bermuda Triangle, the been the talk of Prishtina for months. me to give the route a wide berth until that Berisha’s government had pres- Loch Ness, and Amsterdam. Such a list has no room for two Never has a stretch of tarmac been it is properly completed. surised the project designers to finish Balkan attractions. discussed with such gusto, never has a It is simply unsafe, and I will be the tunnel works on the highway before Then, just when it seemed that all hope was lost in the race 5km tunnel appeared so sexy. And with amazed if there are no serious acci- the June 28 poll, raising serious safety for occult fame and endless tourism revenues, villagers in the some justification – for Kosovars, this dents. concerns. hills of Ferizaj discovered a polar bear. Yes, this arctic wonder, road isn’t just an A-to-B, it’s a statement In parts, you are presented with In emails seen by BIRN, designers of one of the greatest natural predators on earth, had apparently of brotherhood and, more importantly, acres of tarmac without any road the Rreshen-Kalimash section warned pre-empted its climate change extinction, opting to travel it’s a highway to sun-kissed holidays. markings. What makes this even more that pressure from the government to south and adapt to warmer weather in Kosova. The news With a burning desire to escape the dangerous is that not all of the soon-to- finish works in time for the elections spread of the immigrant polar bear, and once again business torrential rain of Prishtina, and be-marked-four-lanes are passable, could result in a “catastrophe”. was booming. National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and curiosity to sate about this wonder of meaning that at times you are forced to Although the email exchange cen- Animal World all rushed to be the first to break the story, the modern world, I set off in my swing onto the other side of the road. tered on the tunnel along the Rreshen- “Kosova, the Global Warming Refuge”. And a new flux of plucky Renault Clio to southern At one point, the road narrows down Kalimash road, not the very worrying internationals arrived; animal rights activists, zoo lovers, vet- Albania on a Friday afternoon for a from four lanes to a two-lane bridge section nearest the Kosovo border, it erinarians, and Canadians. weekend of exploration and relaxation. without sufficient warning. If you miss demonstrates that the opening was And I am happy to say that I truly believe this time the tide Prishtina to Durres in three hours this peculiarity of the road, you will being used for electioneering. And it is has finally swung irreversibly. Last week, a giant Amazonian was just one of the hugely optimistic finish up at the bottom of a canyon. worth noting that the tunnel was closed Anaconda was seen making its new home in the Ballabani travel times offered up as the road’s On another section, the highway for four days the week after I used it so Hills of Kosova, a great sign that word of the exotic wildlife grand opening approached, just days leads directly into the hillside because that work could be carried out. refuge is spreading very successfully. Apparently, this reptil- before Albanians went to the polls. the constructors have not yet dug all This multi-billion-euro project will ian wonder, which has been known to eat whole alligators and water buffaloes, has sought refuge from the massive deforesta- I had not set my hopes too high, the way through. There are no flashing no doubt be a great source of pride to tion of the Amazon, and hearing the news of Kosova, hitched knowing that the road was unfinished lights, no sing-posts, no men in fluores- the Albania people in the future; it will a ride here on a plane full of snakes and American actor and only a single carriageway had been cent jackets to warn you. Drivers were boost trade between Kosovo and Samuel L. Jackson. opened – nonetheless, I was extremely simply turning around and heading Albania, and be a huge boon to Kosovar It has been proven time and time again that the true mark of concerned by what I discovered. back towards a dirt track 500 metres tourists. remarkable nation is one that can adapt and redefine itself It was not that the Prishtina to further back in the blind hope that this The already completed sections rep- with the changing times, and thus remain perpetually relevant Durres trip took six hours – others who was the way to Durres. resent an impressive feet of engineer- and attractive to the outside world. had used the road the following day told The only saving grace was that I ing. The road also links up isolated This is Kosova’s greatest strength and brightest hope. From me that it had taken them nine – but made this trip during daylight. Had it communities on the Albanian border post-war recovery, to supernatural alien landing site, to cli- that sections of the road appeared to been a night, it would have been terrify- with Kosovo. mate change animal shelter, this great nation will continue to have been opened with little regard to ing. But opening the road for political draw upon its uniqueness to keep the attention of the world safety. On my return to Prishtina, I decided expediency, in my view, was a grave focused on it, and to keep the cafés full of interesting foreign- The Rreshen-Kalimash section was a to drive through Macedonia, despite mistake, and I only hope that it is not a ers and delightful discussion. perfectly pleasant, smooth ride, and the journey being considerably longer. mistake which is paid for in lives. 14 • july 17 - 30, 2009 fun & directory

Down Easy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 y| y 1: Give this for that 14 15 16 796 2: Colombian coin 3: Right, on the map 17 18 19 4: Pie-in-the-sky types 38 5 5: Match play? 20 21 6: Like some excuses 984 7: Tributes in verse 22 23 24 8: Five-dollar bill 487 9: Little one 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 10: Like italics 45 11: Any day now 33 34 35 12: Word with animal or a 397 punch 36 37 38 13: Goes downhill fast? 576 18: Manuscript markings 21: Tune for lights out 39 40 41 23: Jalopies 239 24: Hula rotators 42 43 44 25: Cover story 76 2 26: Cop show sound effect 45 46 27: 'Gracious ___ alive!' Medium 28: Darts about 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 29: Allowance-earning task, perhaps 218755 56 57 30: Turn topsy-turvy 31: More plentiful 59 7 58 59 60 32: Old newsboy's call 37: On-line discussion 38: Yokels 43 61 62 63 40: Slattern 41: False things 953 8Across 23: Movie detective Charlie 44: Monster with a head for mul- 43: Capsizes 25: Balance sheet positive tiplication and then some 46: Stations 1: Stepped on it 28: Daily reading, for some 45: Positions 47: Amorphous lump 5: Up in the air 33: Tall-tale tellers 46: Faux follower 48: Peru's capital 10: Ancient Egyptian emblems 34: Blokes 47: Crater creator 824914: Don 35: Multiplex choices, for 50: Sleeping car feature 49: Analogous 15: Boom box, e.g. short 55: Take pleasure in 50: St. and ave. 5716: Bask in a bath 36: Vexes 56: Fancy pastry 51: Sty cry 17: Appraisal 37: Geezers 58: Fail to include 52: Group of three 19: Places 38: Weight 59: Spy 53: Lean 95220: Source of French fries 39: Apiary occupant 60: Soup herb 54: They get into sushi 21: Gas holders 40: Place for a summer home 61: Outlaws 263122: American voters before 41: More with it 62: Cubicle fixtures 56: Goalie's protection 1920 42: Employs glass wool 63: Tipplers 57: Historical period

Hard Embassies and Liaison Offices in Prishtina |y American Danish German Saudia Arabian Address: "Nazim Hikmet" no. 30 Address: "Nene Teresa" no. 2 Adress: "Azem Jashanica" no. 17 Address: Dardania SU 7, building 2, 5 Arbëria/Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina 10000 Prishtina Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina #1 Phone: +381 (0) 38 549 516 Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 995 Phone: +381 (0) 38 254 500 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 549 203 794Austrian Dutch Italian Address: "Ahmet Krasniqi" no. 22 Address:" Xhemal Berisha" no. 12 Address: "Azem Jashanica" no.5 Slovenian Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Velania, 10000 Prishtina Address: "Anton Ceta" no. 6 Phone: +381 (0) 38 244 925 28 79 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 224 61 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 284 Japanese Phone: +381 (0) 38 244 886 Finnish Address: "Rexhep Malaj" no. 43 2496Belgian Address: "Eduard Lir" no. 50 10000 Prishtina Swedish Address: "Taslixhe" I, 23 A Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 995 Address: "Ekrem Rexha" no. 6 10000 Pristina Prishtina Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 7 Phone: +381 (0) 38 734 734 Phone: +381 (0) 38 223 775 Luxemburg Prishtina Address: "Metush Krasniqi" no. 14 Phone: +381 (0) 245 795 British French Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 226 787 3615Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 6 Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 67 Swiss Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Malaysian Address: "Adrian Krasniqi" no. 11 17 49 Prishtina Prishtina Address: "Bedri Shala" no. 48 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 254 700 Phone: +381 (0) 38 22 45 88 00 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 248 088 Phone: +381 (0) 38 243 467 39 8 Bulgarian Greek Turkish Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 12 Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 68 Norwegian Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 59 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Address: "Sejdi Kryeziu" no. 6 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 4 Prishtina Prishtina 10000 Prishtina Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 038 245 540 Phone: +381 (0) 38 243 013 Phone: +381 (0) 38 232 111 00 Phone: +381 (0) 38 226 044 Created by sudokunine.com

Easy Medium Hard S P S A T F O L A D E P S

527468931 985632174 K A O S O I D A R R A E W 935764182

I C O L T N E M S S E S S A

186973524 423917586 SK N A T S E O T A T O P 627183945

N A H C N E M

934215867 617584932

E R U T P I R C S T E S S A 841925763

865724193 739261845 X I P S P A H C S R A I L 389571624

T F E H S T O O C S K R I

342891756 864375219

R E N A S E R O H S E E B 274638591

791536248 251498367 A R D Y H SET A L U SNI 516249837

S A P S T U P

478352619 142856793 E T T E M O O R T S A L B 198452376

Solution E I R E S S I T A P E K I L

659147382 376129458

L L I D T N E G A T I M O 463817259

(Reversed)

213689475 598743621 S T O S S K S E D S N A B 752396418 timeout • july 17 - 30, 2009 15

his is story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of TMumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million Rupees on India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show’s questions. Each chapter of Jamal’s increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show’s seemingly impossi- Odyssea ble quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on Bistro the game show? When the new day dawns Friday July 17 and Jamal returns to answer the final Grab you’re dancing shoes and pals and question, the inspector and sixty million head to a one of a kind event at Odyssea viewers are about to find out. At the heart Bistro to spend the night with DJ Jimi who of its storytelling lies the question of how will be performing live. Starts at 10pm anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love. For reservations call 044 556 444 Hiking in Kosovo’s Mountains

Camping Trip in Luboten

Green Peace Kosova is organis- What should every partici- Trip to camping place ing a camping trip for all of pant have for camping? those interested n experiencing Leave at 07.15 AM the wildness of Kosovo in a 1.Ttent (25.07.2009) from “Tauk friendly and lively atmosphere. 2. Sleeping bag Bashqe” (in front of Magic 3. Flashlight Children’s Park) in Prishtina What should every partici- 4. Light for fire (matches) pant have (for personal Trip: needs)? Transport Prishtinë – Ferizaj Ferizaj – Road to Tetovë 1. Mountain shoes You can reach the camping Leave the asphalt road near vil- 2. Long trousers spot with a 4x4 vehicle or all lage Strazha by Mountains 3. Hat terrain car. House (Shtëpia e Strazhareve) 4. T-shirts (more then 1) Organisers of the event can and Continue 10 Km off-road until 5. Thick shirt (warm) will help all participants on the shepherd’s houses 6. Jacket for rain trip with information and Call representatives of Green 7. Spoon, Knife, Fork, Plateand answer questions. Email Group for direction to the camp Pot (metal) [email protected] 8. Cold food (cans), Bread, for more information. meat for barbeque, fruits, veg- etable 9. Thermo bottle(for drinks) 10. Garbage bags TIM preparedE byO UT Shega A`Mula 16 • july 17 - 30, 2009 marketing