October 11-October 24, 2013 l #120 l Price 1€ Public art: Family ties: Limaj’s Prishtina What did statue get clout linked to wrong about Kosovo’s son’s university Insight first president? PAGE 2 scholarship. PAGE 4 STIFF COMPETITION COULD SPOIL MAYor’S QUEST FOR ISa’S A THIRD TERM BURDEN PAGE 7 The voices l PI Guide: l Culture: Women’s Edith Durham of Croatia’s market offers revisited. turbulent bounty. PAGE 12 PAGE 15 history. PAGE 10 2 n October 11-October 24, 2013 n Prishtina Insight October 11-October 24, 2013 n Prishtina Insight n 3 PageTwo E: [email protected] / T: +381 (0)38 60 40 70 / W: www.rikon-ks.com MP 4000 MP 2510 / 3010 A president Print/Copy/Scan/Fax Print/Copy/Scan/Fax 40 ppm 25 / 35 ppm immortalized from the editor A4 / A3 A4 / A3 Unveiled in late September, the statute of former President Why the Strong Party could matter ARDF ARDF Ibrahim Rugova, who died in 2006, makes up a sculptural quartet with the likenesses of former Kosovo Liberation Duplex Duplex Army commander Zahir Pajaziti, Albanian hero If Facebook ‘likes’ equalled it. Given the constant drone Finisher Finisher Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu and nun Mother votes, Visar Afiraj would about corruption, nepotism Teresa. Isa Mustafa, the current Mayor of stand a good chance of being and outlandish uses of pub- Network Network Prishtina, describes the statue as “an icon the next mayor of Prishtina. lic money, the Strong Party 40000 kopje garancion 20000 kopje garancion of Kosovo’s independence” and the former Arifaj is the candidate of Par- has brought a refreshingly 900.00€ 450.00€ president as “a visionary leader; a politician tia e Forte - the Strong Party. different approach to engag- who won political battles by unfolding The Strong Party is a parody. ing the public about very his ideas.” Mustafa is also the leader of But if the 32,000 people serious problems. the Democratic League of Kosovo (also who have clicked ‘like’ on The idea isn’t original. known as the LDK), a party established their Facebook page voted, In the Icelandic capital, by Rugova in 1989. But whether the the party could have very Reykjavik, the mayor and six statue gets it right, is another question. real power. In 2009, only city council members belong Prishtina Insight spoke to people who about 70,000 people voted to the satirical Best Party - knew Rugova, as well as artists and in Prishtina. Isa Mustafa’s elected in 2010 in the wake Në çmime janë të përfshira të gjitha taksat thinkers to get their take on the de- crushing victory in Kosovo’s of the country’s devastating piction of the former president. capital required fewer than financial crisis. Its most — Eldita Tarani 39,000 votes. important promise The chances was to break all its of Afiraj actually promises. winning the race, The Strong Head and face: Rugova was though, seem Party is trying to known for walking with his head down, slim. But what walk a fine line, constantly thinking and pondering. Nate. The statue doesn’t quite get that right. does seem very Tabak acting silly while likely is that the @birn.eu.com still insisting that it Strong Party will Editor-in-Chief can do the busi- The scarf: Looks like a glorified win seats on the ness of govern- collar, rather than Rugova’s trademark municipal assem- ment - including flat-folded neckpiece. The loosely bly. The assembly has 51 balancing the budget. The folded neckpieces are characteristic of glorified statues across the region seats, making the threshold question for the party will (see: certain statues of benevolent Yu- for winning one quite low. be what to do with its power goslav dictator Josip Broz Tito, or KLA If this does happen, the should it win any seats in the freedom fighters Agim Ramadani and question is, what will voters election. It won’t be an easy Zahir Pajaziti). be getting? one to answer. The Strong Party takes the worst qualities of Koso- Prishtina Insight is The coat: The coat makes Rugova’s chest look bigger, and his figure fuller, vo’s politicians and satirical- designed by Trembelat, a than it actually was. ly celebrates them. Recently, company owned by Strong the party made a big show Party leaders Visar Afiraj and of proposing to construct a Yll Rugova. Trembelat has Hands: The position of Rugova’s mayor’s mansion modelled suspended working on the hand, as he if is predicating something on the White House. A party newspaper for the duration of from above, seems very out of charac- member registered a com- the local election campaign ter. In fact, he was known for more subdued gestures. pany for the sole purpose as part of an agreement with of bidding on the tender for Prishtina Insight. The walk: Artists with knowledge of Rugova’s life and work suggest that the statue would have been more appropriate if Rugova was portrayed Prishtina Balkan Investigative Reporting Network • walking. Insight Mensa e Studenteve, first floor, 10000, Prishtina, Kosovo • PHONE: +381 (0) 38 24 33 58 • EDITOR- Statue Stats IN-CHIEF: Nate Tabak • EDITORIAL StaFF: Jeta Xharra, Marcus Tanner, Height - 4.20 meters Petrit Collaku, Parim Olluri and Flutura Kusari • DESIGN: Trembelat • Weight – approximately 1 ton Prishtina Insight is supported by the Kosovo Foundation for Open Material – approximately 1200 kg of bronze Society, Norwegian Embassy, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Technology – Mud and wax Craftwork – 15 days Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. 4 n October 11-October 24, 2013 n Prishtina Insight October 11-October 24, 2013 n Prishtina Insight n 5 Nation FaMILY tiES Briefly Kosovo local polls “vital for EU Integration.” European integra- tion minister Vlora Citaku said that ‘Sympathy’ next month’s local elections will be “crucial” for Kosovo’s ambitions to move closer to EU membership. “We will be analysed with a mag- nifying glass. They [the EU] won’t want to have a mediocre electoral for Limaj A process, they will want to see an exemplary process,” Citaku told lawmakers from the parliamentary ELECtiON commission on EU integration on MEDICinE Monday. For the first time, the EU is 3:20 going to deploy over 100 observers for the local elections which will The duration of campaign song in honor of the factored be held in the northern Serb-run Mayor of Gjakova, Pal Lekaj. Performed by Bushi area as well as the rest of Kosovo. Sisters, the tune celebrates Lekaj’s choice of The polls come ahead of . the profession, medicine. “Already as a youngster start of talks about a Stabilisation you chose the strongest weapon against Serbia- and Association Agreement, SAA you chose the school of Medicine… Let’s move our Fatmir Limaj: A reputation with a long reach. Photo/Petrit Rrahmani between the EU and Kosovo. In country forward-with the Alliance we’re going to into son’s August, Kosovo established a top- win. We have our mayor in Gjakova-we’re going to Serbs and Albanians suspected Malisevo; two years later he was level team which will negotiate the continue with Dr. Pal.” Who is Fatmir Limaj? of collaborating with Belgrade’s charged with alleged involve- SAA, a document which sees the forces during the war. ment in organised crime and cor- would-be EU member reforming its Former Kosovo Liberation Army But in November 2005, he ruption at the transport ministry. legislation in an attempt to meet commander Fatmir Limaj went was acquitted, and returned Meanwhile in the summer of Brussels' standards. scholarship into politics when the 1990s home to a hero’s welcome with 2011, Limaj and nine former KLA On Your Side conflict ended, but his career street celebrations in the capital. comrades were also charged Serbian politicians permitted has been hit by allegations of war There was a retrial at The with war crimes against civilians to travel to Kosovo. Kosovo and A foundation bent its rules to pay crimes and corruption. Hague in 2007, held after anoth- and prisoners of war, accused of Serbia’s prime ministers resolved a Uncovered manhole Limaj, now 42, was born the er Kosovo Albanian, Beqa Beqaj, abusing Serb and Albanian civil- row over Belgrade politicians’ de- US university fees for the influential village of Banja, near Malisheve was convicted of intimidating ians and Serbian military pris- mand to visit their former province on Agim Ramadani in central Kosovo, but his career witnesses, but again Limaj was oners and police officers who ahead of local polls which threat- politician’s son, an indictment says in politics began as a member of cleared. were held in an improvised KLA ened a deal to normalise relations. Whether it’s a pothole that has a football fan club in the capital, The former guerrilla was de- detention centre in the village of Premiers Hashim Thaci and Ivica not been filled in years or a street where his family moved in 1979. feated twice in his attempt to Klecka. Dacic agreed in Brussels on Mon- light that never seems to turn on, By Njomza Salihi port the development of the next generation of lead- Since then, life has taken become mayor of Pristina, but in Limaj and the other defend- day that all Serbian politicians will we want to know about it. Send ers with a digital vision for Kosovo”. Central to that is him from the football stadium to general elections in 2007, he re- ants were initially acquitted of B be allowed to go to Kosovo during your tips to nate.tabak@birn.