News: EULEX Garners Mixed Reviews on First Birthday

December 11 - 23, 2009 Issue No. 29 www.prishtinainsight.com Free copy Prishtina Insight’s FEATURE Kosovo’s Skiing Guide Promising 2009/2010 Wine After a mild start to the winter, Industry ski slopes in the Balkans have Caught Over been looking distinctly green a Barrel recently. But with snow sched- uled for this week, the skiing sea- > page 7 son is about to begin. Here ARTE Prishtina Insight brings you a guide to the best resorts in The ABC of Human Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia and Rights’ Abuses Montenegro. page 8 - 9 > page 10

OPINION Exclusive: Another Eight Stations Singing the Hits of ‘99 Cancelled in Kosovo Poll > page 13 Prishtina Insight has analysed the results of the November 15 local elections, revealing that almost one in ten votes for the municipal assembly were ruled invalid, that almost one in four conditional ballots were cancelled, that more than half of com- FOOD & DRINK plaints about the election were rejected on technicalities, and that while Kosovo’s biggest party, PDK, gained votes in the may- Fish Restaurant oral election, it lost out in the ballot for assembly members. > page 10 documentation at one polling station. Analysis of the results for the to vote. By Lawrence Marzouk The revelation increases the num- municipal assembly, released on This was highest in Gllogovc and ber of polling stations where results Wednesday, reveals that 54,444 votes Skenderaj where 51.3 per cent and NGO FOCUS he results of a further eight have not been counted by more than cast in this poll were ruled invalid. 53.5 per cent were cancelled respec- polling stations were cancelled 50 per cent. Prishtina Insight has also This represents 8.5 per cent or almost tively. Speaking up Tby Kosovo’s Central Election discovered that 77 polling stations in one in ten of all ballots cast. According to the official results Commission, CEC, on top of the 15 Serb areas did not open and were Ferizaj had the highest number of released by the CEC, there is one on Corruption annulled by the Election Complaints therefore not counted. invalid municipal assembly ballots at polling centre in Skenderaj where 100 and Appeals Commission, ECAC, This means that almost 4.5 per cent 13.5 per cent with Fushe Kosove sec- per cent of voters gave their support – FOL ‘08 Prishtina Insight has discovered. of the total 2,256 polling stations were ond at 12.8 per cent. to the PDK. In Prekaz i Ulte, Skenderaj A CEC spokesman said on not included in the final election Some 23.3 per cent of conditional municipality, all 1,230 voters in the > page 14 Wednesday that the results had been results from 15 November. ballots, where voters cast their ballots mayoral poll, and all 1,161 voters in the cancelled by the Counting and Four of the affected polling stations at a different polling station to the one municipal assembly poll, voted for the Results Centre for a variety of techni- are in Vushtrri, one in Skenderaj, one they were registered at, were can- PDK. CITY cal reasons, including that coffee had in Peja, one in Malisheve and one in celled as a result of the voter having been spilt on some of the necessary Prishtina. already voted or not being registered continues page 3 ‘Cash for Votes’ News Business Protests Planned in Political ‘Marriages of Convenience’ KEK Pledges Crackdown on Prishtina Dominate Kosovo Poll Power Theft > page 6 In the run-up to Sunday’s second round The Kosovo Energy Corporation, KEK, of local elections in Kosovo, parties have lost 37 million euro as a result of elec- formed a dizzying array of coalitions at tricity theft in the first six months of municipal level, displaying little pattern 2009, prompting calls for the publicly along ideologically lines and often ignor- owned firm to speed up its revenue pro- ing deals made at national level. tection plans. Some senior politicians have described Last year, the company collected these partnerships as political marriages around 130 million euro from customers, of conveniences but ... page 4 but lost another... page 5

is supported by: 2 • December 11 - 23, 2009 marketing news • December 11 - 23, 2009 3 EULEX Garners Mixed Reviews on Editor’s word First Birthday Urime The mission released a series of and Prime Minister Thaci, strongly EULEX’s progress in the north Ditëlindja documents outlining their other objected on the grounds that it was has been stunted by protests from By Lawrence Marzouk, successes. These ranged from up to Kosovo’s institutions to sign local Serbs who feel the mission is Shengjyl Osmani and arresting “several suspected war international agreements. insufficiently neutral on the issue of Ivana Stevanovic criminals” to prosecutors dealing The issue was rarely off the front Kosovo’s independence. But, Oliver By Lawrence Marzouk with more than 1,000 cases. pages during August and September, Ivanovic, State Secretary of Serbia’s At a meeting between De when Vetevendosje held a series of Ministry for Kosovo, said he believed he EU rule of law mission in Kermabon and Prime Minister protests and actions, including over- EULEX had not taken sides. But he Kosovo, EULEX, marked its Hashim Thaci to mark the anniver- turning almost 30 EULEX vehicles. added: “EULEX hasn’t had the appy birthday, EULEX, or Tfirst year in Kosovo by releas- sary,Thaci said government institu- EULEX pressed on and signed the opportunity to work on the main Urime Ditëlindja in ing a series of documents noting its tions and EULEX officials had deal but the episode damaged its points of their mandate. They are HAlbanian. key successes. worked well together in past 12 credibility in Kosovo and strained just starting to take over.” It’s been one year since the EU But the mission’s first 12 months months. the relationship with the govern- Meanwhile, as summer turned to mission launched in Kosovo and, I haven’t been without incident, and But not everyone is keen to cele- ment. autumn, there were growing calls think it is fair to say, it has been a some analysts complain that the brate EULEX’s birthday. Ilir Deda, Tensions between the government from civil society groups for EULEX mixed 12 months with some good 3,000-strong team has not lived up to director of the Kosovar Institute for and EULEX were also raised over to tackle corruption. points, some bad but nothing in expectations, failing to tackle cor- Policy Research and Development, plans to rebuild Albanian homes in In November, a EULEX official least bit remarkable. ruption or help the government KIPRED, said he hadn’t seen much the Serb-run northern part of the was quoted as saying the mission This is epitomised by Yves de exert control over the troubled evidence of EULEX’s successes. town of Mitrovica. Attempts to start was preparing to net “big fish”, Kermabon’s comment that one of north. “There isn’t any improvement in government-funded construction of apparently referring to the arrest of the biggest successes of the year As EULEX marked it first birth- the borders or customs, and the sit- the homes encountered large and senior figures. EULEX later denied was the issuing of a report. day on Wednesday, its head of mis- uation in the judiciary is chaotic,” sometimes violent protests from using the term “big fish” but con- No matter how good this report sion, Yves de Kermbon, announced Deda said. local Serbs. firmed it was working on major cor- was, and it wasn’t bad at all, a that his team had “begun well”. Kosovo had fallen out of love with While the international communi- ruption cases. No arrests have been 3000-strong mission should have a The EU’s largest ever civilian the UN mission, UNMIK, long ty praised EULEX for ensuring the made to date. lot more to shout about than a mission, costing 250 million euro, before the EU sent its civilian mis- protests did not descend into blood- Later in November, the mission hundred or so pages of the print- began operations on December 9, sion to Prishtina. So, it was with shed, the government complained of found itself again at the centre of a ed word. 2008, with the aim of “mentoring, some optimism that EULEX was EULEX’s indecisiveness. storm when it emerged that EULEX If there is one thing that monitoring and advising” Kosovo’s welcomed to the recently independ- Thaci was angered when Serbian had failed for seven months to arrest EULEX has proved this year, it is justice, police and customs services ent country on December 9, 2008. members of the Kosovo police serv- a man who had admitted involve- and investigating and prosecuting The terms of its deployment were ice in the town failed to respect the ment in a string of politically moti- that it is not very good at reading serious crimes, ranging from war the source of much angst for chain of command in the Kosovo vated murders, attempted murders the political scene in Kosovo. crimes to political corruption. Kosovo’s government and people, police, following UNMIK directives and beatings allegedly carried out It failed to see any problem with One year on, De Kermabon triggering street protests and fever- instead. Yet, EULEX cited its man- under the orders of members of the the signing of the protocol with described EULEX’s first 12 months ish negotiations at the United agement of the incident in its list of ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, Serbia’s Ministry of Interior. The as “challenging” but added: “We Nation’s top table, the Security police successes for the year, writ- PDK. issue then blew up in its face, have already achieved many suc- Council. ing: On November 30, the alleged hit damaging its relationship with cesses. But it is a long road ahead After the furore, EULEX began In the arena of customs, EULEX man, Nazim Bllaca, held a press con- Kosovo’s institutions and citizens. and we must remain focused and quietly implementing its mandate claimed it had reestablished a ference in front of parliament where The mission then at best prevar- determined. of mentoring, monitoring and degree of customs control in the he confessed to a range of serious icated over, or at worst ignored, “We have worked very well with advising Kosovo’s rule-of-law institu- north of the country. The mission crimes. However, it was not until the the confessions of a man who the local authorities. Like us, they tions. estimates these measures have led to next day that the EU mission arrest- claims to have taken part in a are committed to improving the jus- But the brief honeymoon period smuggling falling by 60 per cent, sav- ed him. series of political murders, tice system, the police and customs in Kosovo ended abruptly over the ing 40 million euro. The Bllaca affair and EULEX’s attempted murders and beatings. to reach European standards. We summer when it emerged that But the mission has still drawn failure to spot a potential backlash In most of the countries which look forward to continuing this EULEX planned to sign a protocol criticism for failing to tackle organ- over the protocol with Serbia have EULEX police officers and prose- important partnership in the with Serbia on an exchange of infor- ised crime in the north or help led many to question the accuracy of cutors hail from, it would not have future,” he added. mation relating to cross-border Prishtina establish control there. the mission’s political radar. taken seven months for this per- The EUELEX chief said one high- crime. German foundation Friedrich Deda of KIPRED said said: “The son to be arrested; such serious light of the first year had been a The plan drew fierce opposition Erbert Stiftung has been particular- success of the mission will depend allegations would have been treat- “ground-breaking report… the most from the Kosovo government as well ly harsh about EULEX’s perform- on two issues, empowering rule of ed with a little more speed. comprehensive assessment of the as the nationalist Vetevendosje (Self- ance in this area. In two reports, the law in the north, and the fight Again, this demonstrated a lack state of Kosovo’s justice, police and determination) movement. organisation said EULEX had mere- against corruption and organised of intuition on EULEX’s part. customs systems ever carried out”. Kosovo’s President, Fatmir Sejdiu, ly followed “UNMIK’s failed policy”. crime on a local level.” If I were in the Mr de Kermabon’s shoes, I would ask for a new politi- cal radar as a birthday present. Exclusive: Another Eight Stations Cancelled in Kosovo Poll And if that was too expensive, from page 1 on the day, said that the CEC had not done enough observe the whole process. I’d make do with a few high-pro- to educate voters. He said: “As a result of this, we CEC spokesman Fehmi Ajvazi defended his file corruption cases. Turnout for the mayoral vote was 96.9 per cent have a large number of invalid ballots. Other organisation. He said: “CEC has done its job in EULEX undoubtedly inherited and 91.5 per cent for the assembly. aspects that influenced the increase in invalid bal- broadcasting the public information as it was a mountain of unfinished work Prishtina Insight also inspected all 140 com- lots were also the way of voting or the party’s auto- required. It has not affected the total number of from UNMIK and has had a busy plaints logged at the Election Complaints and matic vote for the party’s preferred candidate. votes in Kosovo.” first year settling down, but it’s Appeals Commission, ECAC. “Voters were confused and people in many cases ECAC spokesman Tahir Rrecaj said that it was now time for some of these ‘big This revealed that 60 complaints were rejected made mistakes attempting not to vote for the ‘first right to reject the complaints on technicalities. fishes’ to be reeled in. on the grounds that they were received by ECAC person on the list’.” The second round of the local election takes EULEX’s reputation risks going three or more days after the incident and 20 He added that conditional ballots should be place on Sunday, with the run-off for mayoral can- the same way as UNMIK’s if it because the complainant had not signed the com- dropped because it is difficult for monitors to didates in 21 municipalities. does not begin to make some seri- plaint. ous inroads into high-level cor- The commission’s complaints form cannot be ruption soon. filled in or submitted online and must be handed to Mayoral Vote Municipal Assembly Vote I know that there are cases cur- ECAC in person. rently under investigation, but This means that more than half of all com- these need to come to fruition plaints received by ECAC, irrespective of their con- quickly if the mission is to make tent, were rejected on technicalities. Just 30 of the its mark on Kosovo. total 140 were investigated by the commission. So, General de Kermabon and The overall results show that the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and the Democratic your team, I hope you had time to League of Kosovo, LDK, were the biggest winners enjoy a slice of cake on Wednesday overall, showing gains in both elections. and make a wish when blowing out Compared with 2007, PDK made slight gains in the candle. the mayor vote but fell in the municipal assembly, I sincerely hope that at next while the AKR and LDD lost ground in both. year’s celebrations, it will be cake Ismet Kryeziu, leader of the NGO coalition again, rather than humble pie. Democracy in Action which had 2,400 monitors out 4 • December 11 - 23, 2009 news Political ‘Marriages of Convenience’ Outside In Dominate Kosovo Poll Can’t We All Be In the absence of ideological imperatives, parties have formed a bewildering array of coalitions for the second Sui Generis? round of local elections. the coalition dead. The decision was meddling foreigners. rescinded the next day, but sources “Because they are unprincipled, By Kreshnik Hoxha have told Prishtina Insight that the political coalitions in Kosovo are By Petrit Collaku and formal demise of the alliance is a very fluid and can be transformed Lawrence Marzouk now only matter of time. overnight,” Kurti said. Since then, an extraordinary “I believe that the minority of vot- The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia n the run-up to Sunday’s second array of coalitions has been formed ers who actually voted on authorities were urged to take all nec- round of local elections in for the 21 mayoral run-offs to be held November 15 feels betrayed by the “essary measures to bring to an immedi- IKosovo, parties have formed a this Sunday. games of the various party leaders,” ate end the human rights violations inflict- dizzying array of coalitions at The AAK has signed a number of he added. ed upon the majority community in municipal level, displaying little pacts with the LDK, including in However, Ismet Beqiri, from the Kosovo.” These were the assertive words of pattern along ideologically lines Prizren and Lipjan while the LDD, LDK leadership, said his party had the Bulgarian representative at the ICJ, and often ignoring deals made at and the New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, attempted to find the most ideologi- during the public hearing on Kosovo’s uni- national level. have stuck to their first-round part- cally compatible parties when seek- lateral declaration of independence. Some senior politicians have nership and are jointly supporting ing to form coalition partners. This couldn’t have been an easy bullet to described these partnerships as the PDK in most run-offs, though “The LDK looks for a similar chew for the Serb delegation at the ICJ after political marriages of conveniences they back the AAK in Junik political philosophy in a partner what they called “yet another backstabbing but others see them as important The reformist ORA party is sup- party,” Beqiri said. “It is clear that from Bulgaria”. This is neither the verdict indications of shifts in party alle- porting the PDK in Gjilan and the such coalitions should be reached nor does it relate to losing the case, however, giances. LDK in Prizren. Strangest of all, byPhoto FoNet by agreements made at central level it is a nerve fraying slap in the face for Voters on election day Serbia from their orthodox neighbour. Following the decision by the rul- those bitter rivals, the PDK and the but there are no such agreements But the Serb leadership must have been ing coalition of the Democratic AAK, attempted to sign a coalition general of the AAK, said his party made to date.” aware that such claims would be part of the Party of Kosovo, PDK, and the in Obilic, although this was blocked was attempting to form an alliance As a result, he added, the LDK equation should they appeal to the ICJ. This Democratic League of Kosovo, at central level, and the PDK is sup- with the LDK and LDD as part of a had told its branches that they had is the price the Serb leadership has to pay to LDK, not to enter the local elections porting the AAK in Junik. broader movement aimed at bring- “a free hand to make coalitions at as partners, some commentators address the world on the loss of their ‘cradle One of the strongest alliances to ing the right-leaning parties togeth- the municipal level with any parties predicted that their relationship of civilisation’. emerge from this melee is the AAK- er. except our main rival, the PDK. would fray in the heat of election- Appealing to the ICJ was the only tool to LDK partnership, which looks like- “Yes, there is cohesion,” he insist- “The coalitions at municipal level eering. demonstrate the Serbian government was ly to become a feature at the nation- ed. “The AAK’s orientation is based will certainly be reflected at nation- The two parties have already putting its back into preserving their south- al level. AAK officials told Prishtina on its political profile and, therefore, al level,” he predicted. traded insults during the fight for ern province. But, Serbia is not the only one Insight they were pushing for an is in coalition with the LDK and Jakup Krasniqi, PDK member the election’s top prize, the mayoral- whose political stability is in ‘jeopardy’. alliance with the LDK and LDD. LDD.” and speaker of the parliament, said: ty of Prishtina, which was won con- Proceedings at the ICJ have sparked a keen Ibrahim Makolli, vice-president “It is important to have a partner- “Coalitions for the second round vincingly on November 15 by the interest from Spain to the south Caucasus. of the AKR, said that these coali- ship with right-wing parties, partic- are, of course, the local preferences incumbent LDK mayor,Isa Mustafa. On December 3, Azerbaijan presented its tions had nothing to do with ideolo- ularly for the national elections.” of the parties for the re-run. It was Following the LDK’s decision to stance on independence arguing that gy. “There is no coherence between Albin Kurti, head of the national- up to the party branches in the form a local alliance with the PDK’s Kosovo should be reintegrated with Serbia the coalitions,” he admitted. “You ist Vetevendosje [Self-determina- municipalities to create coalitions archrival, the Alliance for the as its unilateral declaration violates the ter- tion] movement, said most parties Future of Kosovo, AAK, in the hotly can exclude every other explanation with other parties with whom they ritorial integrity of Serbia. The concept of in Kosovo had no visible ideological contested municipality of Prizren, [about them] but an interest in gain- have created good relationships. For territorial integrity is pivotal to the inter- for the second round mayoral run- ing power in certain municipalities. framework, and he warned of a low example, PDK in Prizren had good nal affairs of the Azeri government consid- off, the tense coalition finally broke It’s the same situation when you see turnout on Sunday. relations with the Justice Party,PD, ering the separatist movements in Nagorno- apart for a few hours. this at a national level. His movement urged people not therefore PD has joined PDK. PDK Karabakh. This region, located in the heart Following a late-night session in “Despite all political statements to vote at all in the first round of was the only party that did not of Azerbaijan, is hoping theoutcome of the the Prishtina watering hole, the they make, in the end all that mat- local elections as a protest against exclude any of the parties for the ICJ could help their own cause. Zanzi Bar, the PDK of Prime ters is the political mathematics,” the creation of several new majori- coalitions. All parties are welcome.” Similarly, the Russian media state that Minister Hashim Thaci declared he added. ty-Serb municipalities, which he He added that turnout would be the political process in Kosovo is incomplete But Burim Ramadani, secretary feels was only done at the behest of smaller than on November 15. and 1244 UNSC Resolution requires negotia- tions on the final settlement. Russia claims the resolution bans any unilateral move and as such Kosovo’s independence has ICJ: US, Russia Face breached international law. www.prishtinainsight.com One could argue such claims are in line with the opposition that Russia has shown Publisher: towards Chechnya’s secession. However, BIRN Each Over Kosovo Russia fails to be the advocate of ‘interna- Balkan Investigative Reporting Network or the first time in 50 years, tees Serbia’s territorial integrity, although did not pre-determine” tional law’ when it comes to its recognition Russians and Americans is still in force. the independence of Kosovo as of the two Georgian breakaway regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Mensa e Studenteve, first floor Ffaced each other directly at “Resolution 1244 is still in an outcome. America stands firm - Kosovo is sui 10000, Prishtina an international court when on force and for this reason, no “There is no contradiction generis and the UNSC Resolution 1244 did Kosovo Tuesday they presented two institution can proclaim inde- between the peacefully pro- not prejudge the final political settlement of opposing views at the pendence. Russia believes that claimed independence of Kosovo Phone: +381 (0) 38 24 33 58 Kosovo. But the American foreign policy International Court of Justice, the unilateral resolution on the and international law, including Fax: +381 (0) 38 22 44 98 hypocrisy is also clear as it refuses to dis- ICJ, on Kosovo’s independence. independence of Kosovo is con- Resolution 1244,” the US legal [email protected] cuss the right to self-determination of The two UN Security Council trary to Resolution 1244 and representative Harold Hongju South Ossetia and Abkhazia. members head opposing blocs international law,” Beta news Koh said. Editor-in-Chief: So, what should America say to Sarajevo, within the UN, with Russia vehe- agency quoted the Russian repre- He called on the Court to leave Lawrence Marzouk Madrid, Tbilisi, Baku and Beijing about mently opposing Kosovo’s unilat- sentative as saying. the Kosovo independence decla- their separatists? Why is Kosovo sui generis [email protected] eral declaration of independence Gevorgian also noted that ration untouched, as the expres- and not the others? Kosovo is sui generis in February 2008, and the US sup- according to international law, sion of the will of the Kosovo because its constitutional position within Editorial Team: porting it. Kosovars do not enjoy the right people. the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FRY, in Ana Petruseva, Arif Muharremi, The court’s hearings on to self-determination, noting Koh argued that Kosovo is a 1974 as an autonomous province meant no whether Kosovo’s declaration of Resolution 1244 prohibits unilat- “unique” case. He said legitima- Gordana Igric, Jeta Xharra, Marcus amendments to the constitution were to be independence is in accordance eral moves. He said the cy comes from the fact that approved without consent of the con- Tanner, Petrit Collaku and Shega A’Mula with international law began 1 Resolution cannot be overturned Kosovo Albanians were subject stituent republics and provinces. December, and will last until 11 by a decision of UN secretary- to a campaign of “state-support- By adopting the amendments to the Marketing, Sales & Distribution: December, with judges expected general’s envoy Martti Ahtisaari ed violence for years”, which Constitution of Serbia in 1989, which led to [email protected] to deliver an opinion in a few to end the negotiations and rec- “culminated in 1999 when 10,000 the abolishment of Kosovo’s right to com- months. ommend independence as being Albanians were killed and about ment on the Constitution of Serbia, Serbia Design & Layout: “Rrjeti” Russia’s legal representative the only solution. a million were displaced’”. breached the 1974 constitution of FRY. in the proceedings, Kirill The US on the other hand, He said after lengthy negotia- Those who argue Kosovo’s unilateral move Printing: Interpress R. Company Gevorgian, said that Kosovo’s argued that international law tions on Kosovo’s future status is a breach of international law must declaration was illegal noting does not regulate declarations of led nowhere, there was no other realise the breach itself is an offspring of Copyright © BIRN the UN Security Council independence, and that option for Ahtisaari but to pro- the previous constitutional breach of 1989. Resolution 1244, which guaran- Resolution 1244 “anticipated, pose conditional independence. business • December 11 - 23, 2009 5

US Tourism Society KEK Pledges Crackdown on Announces Prishtina Conference

he American Tourism Power Theft Society, ATS, is to hold the Energy company aims to roll out digital meters and smart cards to stop customers tapping into the electricity Tfirst-ever tourism conference in Kosovo. network for free – but sets no deadline. Phil Otterson, president of American Tourism Society, said the 7 event will take place in Prishtina from October 25 to 27, 2010. Mr Otterson said: “Kosovo is a By Lavdim Hamidi perfect example of what ATS’s mis- sion is about, assisting transforma- tional destinations with tourism he Kosovo Energy marketing skills, training through Corporation, KEK, lost 37 the onsite ATS tourism college pro- Tmillion euro as a result of gram, and educating ATS members electricity theft in the first six Business News in Brief in Brief Business News about the newest destinations. months of 2009, prompting calls “Now, ATS contributions to the for the publicly owned firm to host country have been further speed up its revenue protection strengthened through our recent plans. partnerships with National Tour Last year, the company collect- Association (NTA) and Tourism ed around 130 million euro from Cares.” customers, but lost another 75 million euro to homes and busi- nesses that illegally connected themselves to the network. KEK spokesman Viktor Buzhalla told Prishtina Insight that the corporation has been working on measures to cut thefts. Meanwhile, company staff Photo byPhoto FoNet Photo byPhoto FoNet were in the field, investigating KEK hopes to cut electricity thefts with digital meters suspected cases of manipulating energy meters. “commercial loses would fall to “The effect of the digital regis- added – without, however, indi- “Every specialist at KEK is zero. Consumers would have to ters would be noticed within five cating when this would happen. obliged to read meters on a buy electricity by card, in the to six months,” Begolli predict- Buzhalla added that KEK also Albania-Kosovo monthly basis, deliver bills and same they buy credit for mobile ed. needed to ensure that the courts low-cost flights launch visit customers,” he said. telephones.” Izet Mustafa, head of KEK’s dealt with cases of theft more “Customers are being visited at Begolli said digital registers trade union, accepts that the efficiently and tackled cases of afa Air, a new budget airline, least three times a month by our should first be installed in the corporation has not done internal corruption. It is widely is to launch cheap flights teams to decrease the level of homes and officers of “problem- enough to tackle power theft and believed that KEK’s own employ- Tbetween Albania and Kosovo energy theft.” atic” customers, before being also advocates a nationwide roll- ees often help customers to can- on December 10. However, energy experts say rolled out over the rest of the out of digital meters, which cel their debts by logging onto Return flights between Prishtina that the only way to make a real country. would cost about 100 million KEK’s database and illegally and Tirana will start at 185euro. impact on theft is by installing Meters make it virtually euro. erasing the amount due. The company also plans to start digital registers. Gazmend impossible for customers to A pilot scheme involving 2,000 “The anticorruption depart- flights to Austria and Switzerland, Begolli, an expert and consult- steal power as the corporation digital meters in Prishtina had ment is working on eliminating with services to Geneva due next ant on energy issues, said if can monitor the level of electric- proved successful, Buzhalla said: misuse by employees,” Buzhalla summer. they were made mandatory, ity consumption at a distance. “It will be extended further,” he said. Tirana-based Tafa Air was set up by construction entrepreneur Taf Tafa with backing of enterprises in Albania and Kosovo. World Bank: ‘Kosovo One of For more information visit www.tafaair.com Worst Places to Do Business’ Bulgaria Prepared for Eurozone Entry World Bank Report gives newest Balkan state’s business environment the thumbs down. cent in 2009, as the World Bank ulgaria’s National Bank gov- report had noted. ernor Ivan Iskrov has said “We have the best fiscal policy Bhis country is prepared to adopt the euro, but urged caution By Besiana Xharra in the region but, of course, this is not enough to say that Kosovo is over a speedy entry into the single the best place to do business in,” he currency zone. osovo is one of the worst said. Iskrov said that the Bulgarian places in the world to start a The deputy minister said many National Bank, BNB, will “fully Kbusiness, according to a problems needed to be overcome in support the government when it report by the World Bank. The order to make Kosovo more attrac- decides to send an application for international body’s study, Doing tive to business, such as tackling admission into the Exchange Rate Business, places the country in the power cuts. Mechanism”, the two-year currency bottom 10 per cent globally for stability test prior to the adoption of securing planning permission and Kosovo’s ranking in Doing the euro. starting a business. Business 2010 Iskrov concluded that the Out of a total of 183 countries, Kosovo is ranked 113 out of 183 European Central Bank, ECB, and Kosovo is ranked 113th on the economies. Singapore is the top older EU states have shown a fairly ranked economy in the Ease of conservative policy regarding the

“ease of doing business” index, its byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit first official grade since joining the Kosovo has fared badly in the World Bank’s index of places to do business Doing Business. entry of new countries into the World Bank. Ease of Doing Business 113 eurozone. According to the report, Kosovo Economic analyst Shpend “Kosovo’s institutions are doing Starting a Business 164 Bulgaria’s entry into the euro- is 176th for construction permits, Ahmeti, director of the research nothing… they are not preparing Dealing with Construction zone, initially scheduled for 2010, 164th for starting a business and institute Gap, said the report’s any action plan”. Bedri Hamza, Permits 176 has been set back in part because it 157th for enforcing contracts. findings were not a surprise. “The deputy minister at the Ministry of Employing Workers 34 is conditional on continued fiscal It does, however, fare much bet- fact that we are listed below the Economy and Finance, said he had Registering Property 68 prudence and lower inflation. ter for closing businesses, placed at 130th country in many categories seen the report but asserted that Getting Credit 43 Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta and 28th, and for employing workers, means Kosovo is a very difficult to Kosovo was making progress. Protecting Investors 172 Slovakia are then newest entrants where it comes in at 34th. But in all place business.” Its fiscal policy was now the Paying Taxes 50 into the euro zone, having joined on but one of the ten measures, One particularly worrying sta- most competitive in the region, he 'Trading Across Borders 132 January 1, 2007, 2008, 2008 and 2009 Kosovo has dropped down the tistic was that it took 30 days to reg- added. Kosovo cut corporate Enforcing Contracts 157 respectively. index since last year. ister a business in Kosovo, he said: income tax rate from 20 to 10 per Closing a Business 28 6 • December 11 - 23, 2009 city ‘Cash for Votes’ Protests Ivica Planned for Prishtina Lekic Voters in Gracanica tell Prishtina Insight they were offered cash and wood to votes for the victorious Serbian Liberal Party Ivica works for the Dutch NGO SPARK (www.spark-online.org) as a project coordinator for the By Besiana Xharra International Business College in Mitrovica (www.ibcmitrovica.eu).

oters in the new Serb- majority municipality of Prishtina through the Eyes of: the Eyes through Prishtina VGracanica have told Prishtina Insight how they were offered cash and wood for their vote by the victorious Serbian Liberal Party, SLS, before last month’s local elections. SLS candidate Bojan Stojanovic won more than 60 per cent of the vote in the November 15 poll, ensuring he secured the

position of mayor without the byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit need for a second round run-off. Deafted parties in Gracanica are calling for their allegations of fraud to be investigated But Stojanovic’s defeated wanted to vote for the SLS “The SLS now work only for talk,” he said. opponents have levelled a series party.” their own interests, enriched Trajkovic added that the SLS of allegations against him, She refused to say whether by Thaci, and do not want to even won in Hajvalia, just out- including vote-buying. she had accepted the offer or know abort the Serbian people side of Gracanica, which is Ivica Lekic Led by Momcilo Trajkovic, a had voted for Stojanovic but here.” inhabited by Albanians. candidate for the civic initiative added that her neighbour had Trajkovic added that in “Can you imagine that in an SPOT, the defeated SNS, SDS received several metres of wood Gracanica, 4,357 names were area where Albanians live, a and SKMS signed a statement as a gift to vote for Stojanovic. registered as having voted but Serbian candidate and not an What surprised you most about following the election calling for “We are poor people so do not only 3,500 thousands ballots had Albanian won? This is some- Prishtina? the results to be cancelled. blame us if someone gives us been cast. thing that tells us that, here, But their complaints, they say, gifts,” she added. He said: “This can be something has happened.” have fallen on deaf ears, and When I first came just for a visit, Trajkovic alleged that voters explained in only one way: par- SNS candidate Mihailo they are now preparing protests over a year ago, that it was ok to talk were given between 20 to 100 ticipants at the polling stations Shcepanovic told Prishtina in Prishtina near Kosovo’s insti- Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian rather euro for a vote. He believes the have signed more people than Insight he had not ruled bring- tutions. freely. SLS was given money to do this have voted, but they didn’t have ing a legal case against Hashim Prishtina Insight visited by their government coalition time to put the ballots into the Thaci. Gracanica to investigate the What’s your favourite hangout? partners, the Democratic Party boxes.” Kosovo’s Deputy Prime allegations. A 50-year-old of Kosovo, PDK, of Prime Trajkovic, alongside the other Minister Hajredin Kuci dis- woman from Gracanica, who Commune on Prishtina Street in Minister Hashim Thaci. defeated party candidates, has missed the allegations. He said: asked not to be named, told Gjilan. Trajkovic added that during requested that the ballots be “All their charge are false.” Prishtina Insight: “Some boys election day,the SLS handed out checked, but he says that no one The SLS leader Slobodan came to my store, and they first Do you do anything cultural? several thousand metres of has listened. Petrovic said the allegations introduced themselves as wood, as well as money and “We have taken this case to were being made simply employees of the voting centers, Prishtina has a very decent offer flour. the police, to KFOR, even to because the other parties had who had come to encourage (there were at least a dozen festivals in He said: “In normal condi- Pieter Feith, but no one has lost. He said: “Gracanica resi- Serbian people to vote. the past month or two). However I don’t tions, these parties would not responded to us. So now we are dents have voted for SLS “Then they asked me how go cultural as much as I want to. Most take more than three per cent of trying to become like police- because they believe in our many members were in my fam- the vote, because Serbs do not men, trying to convince these party. There was no manipula- recently it was promotion of new the ily and able to vote. They later like these politicians who are people who have received tion in the voting centres, as Dizzies video “Per Shkak Teje” in asked me how much money I part of Kosovo government. money,wood and other things to these parties are saying.” Tetris. Great song!

What is the most annoying thing about Prishtina?

Work Starts on New Opera Coming back after post-football beers to find out that I am too late to take a shower. And missing family and and Ballet Theatre friends. said the new theatre will help If you were mayor of Prishtina consolidate the three most for the day what would you change? important sectors of the cul- By Shengjyl Osmani tural sphere: theatre, opera, Let KFOR fellows dig another sewer and ballet. instead of letting the smell of their President Sejdiu said that feces float over Dragodan. the building marks Kosovo’s he first bricks have been cultural and state maturity How many macchiatos do you laid for Prishtina’s new and that the project was start- drink a day? Tnational opera and bal- ed by the former president, let theatre. Rugova. 3/4 On December 2, President He said: “The people of Fatmir Sejdiu, Prime Minister Kosovo, people of culture and What’s the tastiest Kosovar food? Hashim Thaci, minister for arts, our friends around the culture Valton Beqiri and the world, will have a better oppor- I’m not an expert on Kosovo-cuisine, family of former President tunity to exhibit their values.” but I like to go to “Te Shoki” and the Rugova attended the placing of Prime Minister Thaci told neighbours for some qebapi, every the cornerstones for the new guests: “The placing of the once in a while. cultural centre which will be cornerstone of the National named after the former Opera and Ballet Theatre What landmark do you use to tell President of Kosovo, Dr Ibrahim Rugova is a special taxi drivers where you live? Ibrahim Rugova. day for which we have all byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit During the ceremony, Beqiri invested.” Work starts on Prishtina’s new opera house Hotel Grand feature • December 11 - 23, 2009 7 Kosovo’s Promising Wine Industry Caught Over a Barrel There are signs of revival of this ancient industry – but vineyard owners still face hurdles before they can get their product out of Kosovo and into European super- markets.

By Shengjyl Osmani

rapes have been ripening in the sun on the rolling, ver- Gdant hills of southeast Kosovo since the undulating terrain was occupied by the Illyrian tribes. But the cultivation of vineyards has suffered more than once as a result of the region's troubled histo- ry. The industry was most recently devastated in the Kosovo conflict in byPhoto Castle Stone the late 1990s. Kosovo’s Stone Castle wine has received good reviews from British wine experts Today,there are signs of recovery lion euros to two Albanian- There are five other wineries in ered to the customs authorities stat- around Prizren, Gjakova, and Kosovo wine has even found its American businessmen. the Rahovec municipality, Bodrumi ing the country of origin. Suhareka, Malisheva, and Peja, way onto the shelves of the upmar- The new owners quickly set i Vjeter, Eko Shpk, Rahoveci, This causes problems when could also see their vineyards ket British supermarket Waitrose. about investing in the business, Rahvera, and Biopak. But Stone attempting to import wine to the revive. Currently, the former state- StoneCastle, Kosovo's biggest making the firm one of the biggest Castle remains the leading compa- five EU member states which have owned wineries in Suhareka, wine producer, has proved such a employers in the region with 257 ny, with 513 hectares of active vine- not recognised Kosovo's declaration Gjakova and Prizren lie unused and hit with the grocery chain that it staff. "The wine industry has a yards producing 7 million litres in of independence. in disrepair. recently placed a second major great potential, good land, atmos- 2007. The company is responsible "Our wines are like bastard The Haxhijaha winery sells wine order for its red Vranac variety, phere, and a climate which is opti- for about 90 per cent of Kosovo's wines, without an identity," Bekim at all major supermarkets in while another Kosovo winery, Eko, mal," StoneCastle's manager, Shani total wine production. Hoxha told IKS. "This makes it diffi- Kosovo under the label of Bodrumi recently signed a deal to export its Mullabazi, told Balkan Insight. However, StoneCastle was not cult to try to export wine." i Vjetër and it hopes to export to award-winning wine to Austria. "StoneCastle is a pure, high qual- Kosovo's first wine to gain plaudits An EU-approved institution for Britain, Russia, and the US. Despite the good news, Kosovo's ity wine, as the grapes are the most on the international scene. Eko, wine certification and analysis But the vineyard owner is also declaration of independence in 2008 natural ones in all over Europe," he another red, won a gold medal at a must also be established by a state calling on Kosovars to drink more has dealt a blow to the country's added. tasting event in London in 2004. in order to accredit it for EU of their local product. "We need wine trade, after Serbia, which used Kosovo's best-known wine scored Eko's owners, the Hoxha family, exports. At present, the only institu- more economic nationalism, which to buy more than half the stock, a major public-relations coup in hope their product has a bright tions conducting wine analysis are means consuming more local prod- blocked imports from its former March, when Waitrose - a super- future. The family has 6.8 hectares the Agriculture Institute in Peja ucts," Halim Haxhijaha said. "In province. market that prides itself on offering of active vineyards and after secur- and the newly opened Wine Kosovo most people prefer anything According to the agriculture min- a superior range of wines - began ing some Swiss investment in Institute in Rahovec. But neither that comes from abroad, thinking it istry's winery department, wine stocking it. It also received a com- equipment and branding, they body is officially recognised by must be better than our own pro- exports more than halved after plimentary review from the British imagined business would take off. the EU. All other countries in duce." Serbia started the boycott, falling daily, The Independent on 22 But, despite the London accolade the region have at least one EU- from 5.2 million litres in the first recognised institute. half of 2008 to only 2.2 million litres February 2009. and improved facilities, the wine The newspaper's wine critic, until recently sold only in Kosovo. The IKS is calling on the History of in the same period this year. Kosovo government to show Local wine makers face other bar- Richard Ehrlich, said StoneCastle This may change now the firm has had a "bristling, brawny charac- reached a deal with the Austrian greater commitment to this Wine in riers impeding their access to potential important industry. potentially lucrative markets. They ter… It's not a curiosity; it's a good government to export 1,600 crates wine," he said. But the emergence of to Austria and open a marketing "The Government can further cannot sign agreements with the support growth in the sector by Rahovec EU because five EU states do not these new markets has yet to plug branch in Tirana, Albania. passing policies that benefit ine making has a recognize Kosovo's independence. the financial hole created by Since Kosovo declared independ- farmers, such as removing or long and fruitful There are also problems over cer- Serbia's blockade of products ence, many foreigners have visited at least decreasing excise history in tificates of origin. stamped with the emblem "Republic Eko's winery and negotiations W taxes on agricultural Rahovec. The Rahovec region, in southeast of Kosovo". have begun on increasing exports, goods, decreasing the According to Yugoslav Kosovo, has a rich history of wine Mullabazi said export costs had leading the Hoxha family to amount of time required researchers, the Illyrian production, dating back some 2,000 shot up as a result. "The company expand production by another four for the tax payment clan Daros cultivated years, according to historians. The pays 25 per cent more on transport hectares. processes, and offering grapes many years fertile land on which Vranac grapes since exporting through Serbia is The days when Eko routinely subsidies for seeds," it before the Romans came have grown for millennia could almost impossible now," he said. received refusals from potential wrote. to the Balkans. become a major player in Kosovo's Another problem was the govern- foreign clients are a fading memo- "The Wine and The first footprints of fledgling economy. ment's apparent indifference to the ry. "When we first opened Eko, we Vineyards Institute in grape production can be A report last month published by industry. "The wine industry is not had many problems with people Rahovec in particular found in Reti village. the Kosovar Stability Initiative, protected by the authorities and is ignoring or refusing our offers… requires adequate There, the tomb of an IKS, an NGO, highlighted vinicul- not seen as a key factor in future and I wondered when we would see human and financial ancient soldier is ture as one of the country's best economic growth," Mullabazi a return on all the money we had resources so that it can engraved with grapes hopes when it comes to penetrating added. invested in vineyards and wine establish a functioning and a wine jar. European markets. "Many countries, especially production," Bekim Hoxha told the cadastre record, carry During Ottoman period During the Yugoslav era, Kosovo Serbia, provide incentives, subsi- IKS researchers. out organoleptic analy- in the Balkans, the culti- was one of the country's main pro- dies and grants to wine producers "But… an American who once sis, and be certified by vation of grapes for wine ducers of wine, but half the vine- and grape cultivators," he contin- visited our winery said: 'You must the EU, an essential step production was strictly yards were destroyed during the ued. wait five years, and then you will be for future exports," it prohibited and all active conflict with Serbia in the late "Foreign wine cultivators are successful.' Now, finally, our time added. vineyards were destroyed 1990s. given motives to cultivate grapes, has come," he added. The IKS believes if but production picked up The industry has only recently and wine producers receive subsi- Eko still faces problems as a these problems are over- again in the early 20th begun to re-remerge. StoneCastle, dies for every bottle sold; in Kosovo, result of Kosovo's contested status, come, other areas of Century and flourished which began in 1953, previously the authorities don't pay enough however. To gain a preferential Kosovo with long tradi- during the Yugoslav era. known as NBI Rahoveci, was sold attention to this key factor in our import rate when exporting goods tions of wine making, by the state in August 2006 for 5 mil- future." into the EU, a form must be deliv- 8 • December 11 - 23, 2009 By Laura Wolfs and Guide Shengjyl Osmani Prishtina Insight’s Skiing After a mild start to the winter, ski slopes in the Balkans have been looking distinctly green recently. But with snow scheduled for this week, the skiing season is about to begin. Here Prishtina Insight brings you a guide to the best resorts in Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro.

Popova Sapka, Macedonia

opova Sapka is located in the northwestern part of Macedonia, and is one of the most Ppopular winter ski resorts in the country. It is situated in the beautiful Shar Mountain at 1,780 metres above sea level, just 35 kilometres from the capital Skopje. On average, Popova Sapka sees 135 days of snow. The resort is a little more run down than its neighbour Mavrovo, but has a pleasant, friend- lier feel to it. The view from Popova Sapka is superb and opens out towards the neighboring mountains Jakupica and Solunska Glava (2540m), and also towards the Polog valley. The skiing village includes around 250 to 300 chalets to rent and a smattering of independ- ent restaurants. Ski-schools and equipment hire can be arranged at hotels and in the vil- lage.Decent Italian food is served up at Casa Leone in the village, which has amazing views from its terrace. The none too imaginatively View over Popova Sapka named Hotel Popova Sapka (+389 44361020) is mation and also, curiously, pictures of all the the biggest hotel in the resort with 140 rooms, other hotels in town.. At 11.50 euro a day, the but the Hotel Slavija, above the Popova Sapka ski passes are a bargain too. hotel, is perhaps better appointed and has an indoor swimming pool. Rooms in both these POPOVA SAPKA hotels are around 20 euro per person per night. Altitude of the resort -1,704m The ski region’s website (www.popova- Highest Peak - 2,748m sapka.mk) will be of no use unless you speak Total length of slopes - 10km Macedonian and read Cyrillic but the site of Total number of lifts - 11 the Mountain House Granit Number of beginners’ runs (blue slopes)- 2 www.popovashapka13.com.mk, coinciden- Intermediate (red slopes) - 5 tally a great value place to stay at 15.50 euro A view of Kopaonik, Serbia Advanced (black slopes) - 1 per person per night, has some resort infor- Maximum difference in altitude: 1,400 m end of April, and offers good off-piste action. Brezovica, Kosovo (www.bistra.com) with 42 rooms, is a good The resort has 680 beds in three hotels: the Mavrovo, Macedonia smaller Breza with 80 beds and the Hotel option. It has a rustic feel and offers a restau- he most important ski resort in rant, serving up hearty fare, a heated, indoor Narcisse ( 029 70333) and Molika ( 029 70452) he northwest of Macedonia is home to Kosovo is the Brezovica Ski Centre, swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi.The same with 300 rooms each. These are all former one of the most beautiful mountain val- Tlocated in the far south of Kosovo, in group also owns two other nearby hotels. The communist hotels, awaiting privatisation so the northwest part of the Shar Mountains, Tleys in the region, Mavrovo. It is just although you’ll be guaranteed a warm wel- Hotel Makpetrol (+389 23146273) is a short between Kosovo and Macedonia. one hour’s drive from the capital, Skopje, on come, don’t expect a comfortable experience walk from the pistes. The resort covers altitudes between 900 motorways and well maintained roads. Drive with all mod cons. The pick of the bunch if you are looking for and 2,500 metres and claims to have the best time from Belgrade is likely to be in the region Single rooms with half board are around luxury is the Hotel Radika snow record in the Balkans. A popular skiing of 6 hours. 38 euro and for a double room expect to pay (www.radika.com.mk) This five-star resort is destination in the former Yugoslavia, it was The Zare Lazarevski ski centre in Mavrovo up to 30 euro per person. about as trendy as you get and also offers a chosen as an alternative site for the Sarajevo has been recently renovated, increasing the The competition will heat up just a little full-range of spa options to soothe your aching Winter Olympics of 1984. capacity of the ski lifts, and offers good quali- with the December 25 full opening of the calves. Rooms start at 100 euro a night for a Slopes for slalom and giant slalom have ty accommodation and great views. Woodland Hotel (www.woodlandhotel- double room. been officially registered by the Federation The ski trails start at 1960m and end some ks.com), the first private hotel in Brezovica, Internationale de Ski. 700 metres or so down in the town. The 5,000 which promises to offer a much more luxuri- MAVROVO But the resort has seen little investment metres of pistes provide opportunities for be- ous experience. Altitude of the resort - 1,250m since the conflict of the late 90s and a series ginners and advanced skiers alike and a short Accommodation is also available nearby Highest Peak - 1960m of privatisation bids have been held up section of the trails is lit up some evenings, in independent hotels and a number of cot- Total length of slopes - 5km because of inter-ethnic politics. Brezovica making night-time skiing possible. tages where you can rent rooms. Total number of lifts - 11 lifts and the surrounding municipality of Strpce For this year, the authorities have splashed There are three restaurants on the the Number of beginners’ runs (blue slopes)- 5 are a Serb-majority area and attempts by the out and built a new half pipe and snow park. pistes, offering pizza and the usual Balkan Intermediate (red slopes) - 5 Pristina authorities to sell the resort have Skiing is cheap with around 17 euro secur- fare. Advanced (black slopes) - 5 been blocked. ing a day pass and 56 euro a weekly ticket. Ski passes cost from 10 for a one day pass Maximum difference in altitude: 700m After the likely election of a Serb mayor to Close to the slopes, the Hotels Bistra, to 400 for the whole season. Strpce on December 13th, as part of the sec- For more information on Brezovica visit ond round of Kosovo’s local elections, the www.njeri.net or www.brezovica-ski.com. privatisation process is expected to kick into life. BREZOVICA Skiers will find five chairlifts and five ski Altitude of the resort -1,718m lifts, which are connected to 16 kilometres of Highest Peak - 2,522m slopes with an average length of 3,000 Total length of slopes - 16,000m metres. But a lack of investment, means that Total number of lifts - 3 just two chairlifts and one t-bar lift are actu- Number of beginners’ runs (blue slopes)- 1 ally working. Intermediate (red slopes) - 1 The resort boasts snow cover for almost Advanced (black slopes) - 1 128 days per year, from December until the Maximum difference in altitude: 782 m Swish hotels await you in Mavrovo • December 11 - 23, 2009 9 Guide Guide 2009/2010

Prishtina Insight's Snow Report now has began to fall, and all ski resorts are preparing to Sopen in the next two weeks. Brezovica will open officially on Christmas Day, December 25, when Kosovo's first snow park will also open. Popova Sapka told Prishtina Insight that the slopes will be open for skiing within the next 10 days. Mavrovo said it planned to open between December 15 and 20. For more information visit njeri.net/snow

Kopaonik, Serbia price and standard of accommoda- rienced thrill-seekers but provides tude of 1456m and if you take yourself tion. enough of a range to keep interme- Montenegro up to the top of the pistes at 2,313 then If you don’t mind staying in an diate skiers and beginners happy. you can enjoy a whole 3.5km of 'black erbia’s biggest ski resort, ontenegro's ski resorts apartment or hotel room that looks If you are in for adding a bit of run' downhill skiing. Kopaonik, offers tourists might not live up in size to exactly the same as it did in its 70s excitement and still have the ener- However, in what must be one of Severything they could expect some European destina- heyday and you are not the type of gy after a long day of skiing, then M from a perfect skiing holiday. the frankest pieces of PR writing, the person that cares an awful lot night skiing on the Malo Jezero tions, but quantity and quality is not The resort is surrounded by a Visit-Montenegro website speaks of about a dedicated service team, slope will be just the right thing the same thing. The rugged moun- beautiful national park and the the appallingly low standard of provi- then there are certainly options in for you. The slope is open between tains of Montenegro conceal the area is renowned for its stunning sion for tourists. So perhaps you may Kopaonik. 7pm and 10pm and costs around 10 deepest canyon in Europe, and they Flora in Fauna, as well as its 200 not live in the lap of luxury in Zabljak There is a wide variety of hotels euro. also hide away Moraca, and Kolasin. days of sunshine which have (athough to be honest our opinion is and apartments available for rent, One of the newer additions to Kolasin, with its ski centre earned it the nickname of the more positive than the Visit at prices starting around 40 euro the resort is the snowboard park Jerzerine, is a small resort compared mountain of the sun. You’ll be hop- Montenegro website), but the skiing per night per person, but quality is where boarding fans can build to developments in Switzerland, ing however that most of the flora and the scenery are unmatchable. often variable. their own jumps. In a sign that France or Austria but when you are is underneath the snow and with Take a recommendation from a Kopaonik is trying to become more standing on the top of the mountain, around 160 days snow cover each ZABLJAK/ DURMITOR friend or do some thorough ‘hip’, last year it hosted a snow- with the white powder snow stretch- year, you should be in luck. Altitude of the resort - 1,445m research before accepting a budget board and music festival staged by ing out below you, you will begin to Kopaonik has been the top desti- Highest Peak - 2,532m deal. the organisers of the infamous ask yourself why you have not come nation for Serbs for some time but Total length of slopes - 15km This season many European EXIT festival. here before. since 2004, when the last land- Total number of lifts - 6 travel agencies have dropped Ski rental is available widely The slopes are perhaps not the mines were removed, foreign Number of baby lifts - 3 Kopaonik from their skiing cata- and costs about 50 euro for a week most demanding, but the stunning tourists have returned too. In the Beginners' runs (blue slopes) - 6 logue, so perhaps this will have or around 8 euro per day, with dis- scenery will more than compensate 70s and 80s this was a popular Intermediate (red slopes) - 2 freed up some space and you may counts available for children. for that. budget skiing destination and in Advanced (black slopes) -1 just find a bargain. The really rather lovely Bianca the last few years has been trying Max. difference in altitude - 868m One of the most popular destina- KOPAONIK Resort, (www.biancaresort.com), is to catch up with the foreign compe- Longest run - 3.5km tions for locals remains the Grand Altitude of the resort - 1,770m the place to stay here but with prices tition. over 100 euro per person per night for Hotel, (036 71037), located just a Highest Peak - 2,017m KOLASIN The resort lacks nothing that its bed and breakfast in peak season, it's few metres away from the begin- Total length of slopes - 44km Altitude of the resort -1,450 French or Italian counterparts – not a budget option. If you are up for ning of one the main lifts up the Total number of lifts - 23 Highest Peak - 2,139 an adventure and looking for more from the quality of the well slopes and with it’s own ski-rent Number of Baby lifts - 2 Total length of slopes - 15km demanding slopes, make your way groomed slopes to, these days, the facility and ski shop. The hotel Number of beginners’ runs (blue Total number of lifts - 5 over to Zabljak in the Durmitor fairly stiff prices. offers an indoor swimming pool slopes) - 12 Number of baby lifts - 1 National Park. Although your ski pass at 15 (accessible to non-residents), Intermediate (red slopes) - 7 Beginners' runs (blue slopes) - 4 Zabljak has everything that you euro a day (10 euro for kids) com- jacuzzi, sauna and fitness centre. Advanced (black slopes) - 4 Intermediate (red slopes) - 7 could wish for in a ski resort. Located pares favourably to the French Prices start at about 40 euro per Maximum difference in altitude Advanced (black slopes) - 4 deep in a forest with 20 peaks looming Alps, where a day in Chamonix person per night in a shared room - 512m Max. difference in altitude - 510m up around it, and 18 fairytale crystal would cost you 40 euro (30 euro for for 3 people, but will be much high- Longest run - 3.5km Longest run - 4.5km clear lakes nearby it is a truly breath- kids), Serbia’s biggest ski centre is er at peak times. Night skiing route - 450m Longest night skiing route - 500m an expensive option because of the The resort will not impress expe- Nordic skiing - 18km taking sight. The town sits at an alti- • December 11 - 23, 2009 10 Art & Culture - Food & Drink The ABC of Human Rights’ Abuses

International He said 60 films had applied to be part of the festival and that 30 had Film Festival been selected, six of them local. “In for Human By Arif Muharremi this festival only documentary films which focus on human rights Rights Një violations compete,” added Gashi. Botë (One he tenth edition of Një Botë This year the jury consists not World) (One World) Human Rights only of artists but also human TInternational Documentary rights experts and activists and peo- begins next Film Festival, run by the Kosovo ple who have suffered human rights week at the Council for the Defense of Human violations. Albin Kurti, Bekim Rights and Freedom, will take place Lumi, Blerta Zeqiri, Vjollce ABC Cinema from December 15 to 20 in Krasniqi and Professor Zejnullah in Prishtina Prishtina. Gruda will select the winner. This film festival is part of Jeden “In the previous nine editions, Svet Festival in Prague and it has the juries were the same people and rolled every year since 2000. The with few exceptions they didn’t previous nine editions of the Një know how to do their job properly,” Botë festival saw around 250 docu- said Gashi. mentaries screened, addressing This year’s festival will award serious violations of human rights three prizes: The Best National around the globe. Documentary Prize, Best According to organisers, the festi- International Documentary Prize, val aims to promote human rights and Special Prize on Human Rights and democracy, but also to encour- Adem Demaçi. age meaningful debate on issues The film festival will be accompa- such as civil society, foreign policy, nied by a photo exhibition from environment policies and more. renowned Kosovo photographer Shkelzen Gashi, one of organis- Hazir Reka. His work depicts twen- ers of this year’s festival, explains ty years of human rights violation that this year the festival has a solid in Kosovo. website for the first time which has Three debates are being organ- allowed for better communication. ised during the festival. “Debates “It’s a shame for a festival not to during the festival are going to be have at least a website,” said Gashi. focused on three issues: women’s He added that the selection process rights, ethnic minority rights and had followed more rigorous criteria prisoner’s rights,” said Gashi. than in previous years. See page 15 for the programme. The festival is free. For more information visit www.njebote.com. Fish Restaurant Fish Restaurant, a pint sized you to view the cooking process if seafood/fast food place located on you are tempted, and a few tiny win- the corner of Rexhep Luci and dows at the back of the venue give By Maneater in Prishtina Luan Haradinaj Streets. you a slight view of the outdoors. Owners display their business Seafood options include trout, strategy directly at the entrance by catfish and hake (served either on hanging a supersized menu (obvi- bread or on a plate), salmon, cala- rishtina’s restaurant boom ously hinting at very low prices) mari, shrimp, and fresh sardines, seems to have halted in recent right next to the door. Passersby all served with simple tomato and Ptimes, most likely as result of will no doubt be tempted in with cucumber salad. Each of these economic hardship. This has in prices at 5 euro for seafood in a options cost less than 5 euro. Bass effect made my job all that more dif- landlocked country. and dorade are a touch more expen- ficult, leaving me with a meager The interior is nothing special, so sive at 6 euro. serving of venues to consider be warned. Cheap wall art, and The overall quality of the seafood reviewing. Nevertheless, we still bland colour give this place less was questionable, as the trout and byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit need to eat during times of finan- character than a city bus, but lucki- shrimp drastically failed to leave Fish House’s cheap prices will reel in the customers cial destitution, and the newest ly it is loads cleaner – very clean in any fresh impression. The trout shrimp dish was quite odd – a med- available such as doner and pizza. eatery to support a low budget is fact. The kitchen is open, allowing smelt of an aquarium, while the ley of tomatoes onions and mush- Ironically most lunch diners were room, mixed with the most minus- enjoying chicken doner instead of cule baby shrimps and topped off anything from the sea. This may with shredded cheese – which I have to do with Kosovo’s undevel- quickly pushed aside after one oped appreciation of the ocean’s taste. delicacies, but perhaps more to do Some options were fair however, with the fact that the owner is such as the hake roles (crispy fish Turkish. I mean, who makes doner cakes) and the sardines, which were better then the Turks, right? egg and flour coated and fried – a So there you have it, a fish restau- more fast food take on preparation rant that makes money from its compared to the trout or shrimp. doner sales. One thing I know for Salads are fresh, and the round sure is that I enviously looked upon bread buns, or samun as they are the plates of doner while picking at called in Kosovo, arrived nicely my smelly trout, so please take that toasted. Service is also pretty gra- into consideration. cious and far from the carelessness 044 788 711

Photo byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit you find at most fast food joints. Luan Haradinaj St, across from Fish House’s kitchen is spotless Other non-seafood meals are the Prison By Shega A’Mula • December 11 - 23, 2009 11 in Prishtina Inside Prishtina

Building Review: A Tall Package of Economic Growth rishtina is attempting to fast liard. Since the residential building forward to economic prosper- lies next to the shopping mall and Pity with the development of a the boulevard, it creates a very com- 298,907 square meter building com- fortable environment for the resi- plex less than a kilometer away dents,” reads the ENK catalogue. from Grand Hotel – a project which A four-storey shopping centre is has already contributed 25 million also part of the complex – a retail euro to the municipality for a area which is also heralded as one building licence. of largest in the Balkans. The 42-storey building, which According to economist Shpend will become one of the tallest Ahmeti from the Institute for structure in the Balkans, was Advanced Studies, GAP, the con- started in April 2008 by ENK struction of the complex will create Invest, a Kosovo company which a ‘multiplier effect’ of economic acquired assets by participating in activity not only in the capital, but Kosovo’s privatisation process also across the country.

since 2006. “The mere fact that the large byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit The complex will consist of five funds to construct this building Young ballerinas at the Prima-Ballerina Studio buildings, sited next to between were accumulated is a good eco- Bill Clinton Boulevard and Pejton. nomic sign. The building will be the Landscaping is including in the largest commercial complex in the Leisure Review: design, including rooftop gardens, country, which will have a multipli- adding a 21st Century “green” atti- er effect on the economy – spurring tude to the complex, a feature levels of commercial and business missing from other city structures. investment, increasing the appeal Prima-Ballerina Studio The futuristic architecture is in of the housing sector, and enhanc- stark contrast to the surrounding ing the overall value of the city of he opening of Prima- and performances. Their interest in or the media. buildings, which are mainly Prishtina,” he told Prishtina Ballerina Studio may just be teaching has to do with their belief Efforts to increase the culture of decrepit apartment blocks con- Insight. Tthe service parents with chil- that children must begin to receive ballet have been continuous since structed during the Yugoslav era, a Minister of finance and Economy dren glued to their computer education in the arts at a young age, 1972, with the formation of period of bleak design. Ahmet Shala believes the complex screens were hoping for. in order to promote healthy Kosovo’s first ballet team, a tradi- According to ENK, the complex will encourage more investment in The rose coloured, mirrored and lifestyles and an appreciation of tion that has withstood political will bring “20,000 visitors and the country, demonstrating that bar-equipped studio is located in education. instability. potential customer each day”, sug- investments in Kosovo are secure. the neighborhood of Ulpiana, Prima-Ballerina is directed Lessons are held twice a week at gesting that economic growth will “We guarantee that the govern- behind the AAK building, and head- towards boys and girls between the two different time slots, each con- be felt throughout the area and the ment of Kosovo will become ed by two well established balleri- ages of four and 14. The number of sisting of an hour-and-a-half. city. involved in incorporating all those nas Bardha Neziri and Leonora girls in the programme does sur- The sessions cost 26 euro a week The five buildings will include that wish to invest, since it is appar- Rexhepi. pass the number of boys, but both for one child, or 40 euro a week for an administrative centre, which is ent that Kosovo has an atmosphere The two instructors have been genders are currently registered. two. Currently there are 22 very dedicated to commercial use for business,” he said. teaching ballet in Prishtina for six Children registered at the studio motivated children enrolled, with through leased and sold office In the initial stages of construc- years now, while simultaneously also participate in various perform- room for more. space, a five-star hotel targeted at tion, which comprise the creation of appearing in many national plays ances, funded by the municipality Call 049382788 for information. high profile clients and a “luxury” the underground parking area and residential area, also dedicated to retaining walls for anchoring the those with deep pockets. first concrete foundation, the com- Bar Review: “Inside the residential building plex has racked up a 400 million there is a spa centre, swimming euro bill. pool, fitness center and other sport The building is expected to be activities such as squash and bil- completed in the next five years. Barrel inter outings consist of a search for warmth and Wcomfort, attributes that can easily be found at Barrel Bar in the Te Kafet e Vogla area of Prishtina. Playing with the initial décor of the former Kult Kafe, new propri- etor Bersant Rizaj, owner of well- established Spray Club, has added some extra heat to the venue by means of sultry jazz music, sensu- al art work and musky whisky. The interior is intimate, consist- ing of a few high tables and stools, and a couch area equipped with cushioned chairs and a coffee byPhoto Insight Prishtina for Rrahmani Petrit Barrel, the perfect spot for a whisky table. Victorian elements of design such as the dark wallpaper, with offerings of more whiskies, wine cellar and fireplace. dim chandelier lighting and mas- an array of flavoured Absolut Appetizers are also on hand, in culine furniture give the small vodka, other spirits, wines, beer, the form of a classic meze, space a strong character and and bartenders on hand to mix bruschetta and curly French fries. refined feel. your personal desires. Nonetheless, the jazz music Whisky is the drink advocated Clientele are habitually a works as well as any hors d’oeuvre at this watering hole, with vari- mature crowd, usually of estab- to accompany the whisky tumbler eties such as Scapa Single Malt lished professionals, business at Barrel. Scotch (aged 14 years), and Chivas owners and politicians. More pri- Regal Royal Salute (aged 21 years) vate gatherings can be held in Barrel is in the same available as specialties. However, Barrel’s downstairs room, com- building as ‘Little Café’, How the ENK building will look the selection does not stop there, prising leather-studded couches, a on the non-street side. 12 • December 11 - 23, 2009 neighbourhood

Illegal Gambling Serbia’s Path to EU Unblocked Rampant in Albania n operation by Albania’s state U foreign ministers meet- police to crack down on illegal ing in Brussels on Monday Agambling parlors revealed Eevening agreed to unblock that nearly one quarter of the busi- Serbia’s interim trade agree- nesses inspected lack gambling ment, paving the way for the in Brief News licenses. country to apply for EU candida- The operation conducted over the cy status. weekend inspected over 260 parlours However, they failed to agree around the country. Roughly 65 par- on whether to give Macedonia a lours lacked the necessary licence for start date for EU accession nego- their operations. The police, aided tiations, and decided to continue also by the financial auditors from their debate over dinner with a tax authorities, sequestered 400 elec- press conference scheduled for tronic gambling machines. Tuesday. Gambling has soared in Albania in The decision on Serbia came recent years. According to tax recods after the Netherlands lifted its Albanians spent more than 66 mil- opposition to closer EU ties, end- lion euro on gambling in 2008, an ing an 18-month blockade. increase of almost 70 per cent from The Dutch government had the previous year. been blocking an interim trade Earlier this year the Finance deal, demanding that Serbia first Ministry founded a government body arrests two fugitive Balkans war to monitor gaming, which is also sus- crimes suspects. pected of being abused by money But in his latest report to the launderers. UN Security Council, the International War Crime Tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor The EU Commission has opened the door to Serbia Serge Brammertz said that Serbia has made “constant and the World, a country that for- move was seen as crucial in Foreign Ministers are meeting progress” in efforts to finalise eign investors see as safe destina- swinging the vote behind pro-EU in Brussels for a two-day meeting, cooperation with Court, noting tion for their capital and for open- forces in the country. which for the first time is called however that the arrest of war ing new jobs,’’ the President told Ministers failed to come to an the ‘General Affairs Council’ and crimes fugitives Ratko Mladic journalists during a visit to agreement over Macedonia in ‘Foreign Affairs Council’, replac- and Goran Hadzic remains the Prague. time for a scheduled press confer- ing the previous ‘General Affairs key issue. He said that Serbia will now ence Monday evening, EU and External Relations’ Council. Illegal gambling dens have been raided He also recognised the profes- consider when the most appropri- sources said. This, after the The changes have been prompted sionalism and commitment of ate moment will be to submit its European Commission recom- by the entry into force of the operational services tasked with application to join the bloc. He mend member states give Skopje Lisbon Treaty and the advent of Romania Opposition the tracking of fugitives. It was said Serbia’s application will be a start date for EU accession an EU High Representative for Claims Electoral Fraud the most positive report Serbia submitted when the government negotiations. Foreign Affairs and Security. has received to date. is certain that “it will get the best Greece has said it will block The meetings, which were omania’s opposition says it Serbia’s President Boris Tadic reaction possible”. any such date unless Macedonia chaired by the Swedish EU will contest the outcome of welcomed the move: ‘’Both the EU foreign ministers signed a changes its constitutional name. Presidency, were designed to pre- RSunday’s presidential run-off visa liberalisation and now the Stabilisation and Association Athens blocked Macedonia’s pare for the 10-11 December EU elections, claiming fraud, further unblocking of the interim agree- Agreement with Serbia in April entry into NATO last year pend- summit, where decisions on deepening the country’s political ment show that we are a country 2008, just before parliamentary ing a solution to the 18-year-long enlargement issues are expected impasse. with high credibility in Europe elections in the country. The dispute. to be taken. Mircea Geoana, who lost to Traian Basescu, said late Monday he will ask the Constitutional Court and elec- toral officials to annul the vote that gave Basescu 50.3 per cent against Macedonian State TV Wages Geoana’s 49.7 per cent. The poll outcome was a reversal of earlier exit polls on Sunday night that showed Geoana in the lead, ‘Hate Campaign’ again by less than one per cent. DPMNE. Bosnian Imam Loses Sex In 2004 Boskoski was apprehend- ed in Pula and later handed to the Abuse Appeal International Criminal Tribunal By Sinisa-Jakov Marusic for the Former Yugoslavia, ICTY Bosnian imam has lost his under charges of war crimes. appeal on Monday against con- Boskoski and his subordinate, Aviction and an 18 months jail acedonia’s state owned the police commander sentence for sexually abusing a girl public broadcaster, Tarculovski were charged for during religious classes. MMacedonian Radio attacking an ethnic Albanian vil- Resad Omerhodzic was found guilty Television, MRTV is waging a hate lage near the capital Skopje and in February this year of abusing an campaign against the former killing civilians. underage girl during religious classes Interior Minister and presidential Last year Boskoski was acquit- in Gluha Bukovica, a remote moun- candidate Ljube Boskoski, the ted from all responsibility, while tainous village in central Bosnia. country’s Journalist’s Association Tarculovski got a 12 year jail sen- The first instance court sentenced has said. him to 18 months in prison. tence in The Hague for leading the The TV for several days in a row Omerhodzic has appealed the ver- police task force in the village. has broadcasted You Tube videos dict, but the appeals court in the cen- In the run-up to presidential from Boskoski’s 2004 testimony in tral town of Travnik announced on elections in March VMRO DPMNE front of a Croatian court in the Monday it was upholding the initial Ljube Boskoski refused to back Boskoski’s bid to town of Pula in which Boskoski is verdict. reading a statement. It is not clear ing the statement. by accusing him of betrayal based run for president on the party’s whether the statement is his or MRTV has advertised the You on a few dubious videos. ticket. However, even as an inde- someone else’s. In it he says that it Tube videos as “the newest videos “The marking of ‘traitors’, pendent candidate, the former was not him but the late President from Boskoski’s betrayal’’. The TV using harsh propagandist rhetoric minister managed to garner Boris Trajkovski who ordered claims Boskoski stitched-up his is not only unprofessional but is 150,000 votes, many of which came Johan Tarculovski into the village subordinate Tarculovski when he also dangerous because it ignites from the traditional VMRO of Ljuboten in the summer of 2001. was head of the Interior Ministry an atmosphere of violence,” ZNM DPMNE support base. Tarulovski is currently serving in order to save himself from said, asking the State Following the split, Boskoski 12 years after being found guilty by indictment. Broadcasting Council to sanction quickly became a vocal critic of the International War Crimes ZNM’s Council of Honor says the TV. the Prime Minister and VMRO Tribunal of war crimes in the vil- MRTV broke the principles of non Boskoski says this is a deliber- DPMNE head Nikola Gruevski, lage, were several civilians were biased reporting and “definitely ate set-up by his former party, the slamming him for stalling the killed. Boskoski has denied writ- made a professional capitulation”, ruling centre right VMRO country’s Euro-Atlantic progress Gluha Bukovica opinion • December 11 - 23, 2009 13 Singing the Hits of ‘99 Dear Teta Mia... his government’s commitment to “continu- tional response to the shifted electoral land- ing the struggle against evil”. scape: a rushed and soon regretted decision From here on the bearers of the provision- on reshaping the government taken from the By Alex Anderson al government baton accelerated efforts to depths of Zanzi Bar, the quintessential Teta Mia solves your problems engulf freestanding institutions established Prishtina KLA haunt of late 1999. under UNMIK. Police comment: “Other gov- Layer by layer, the KLA’s political succes- ernments never dared interfere with us.” sors have themselves created the backing Am I going mad? ntil lately, Kosovo had a decade of Editors and journalists bombarded by track for an unwanted soloist, to sing the padding to quarantine itself with Hashim’s phone calls and SMSs recall: hits of 1999. Nazim Bllaca came out to per- Alice, Prishtina Ufrom the rawness, violence and fear “Previous prime ministers did not do that.” form to the media in front of parliament on that clasped to the coattails of liberation in Businessmen worry: “If we continue like Sunday 29 November: former geography h dear Alice. Has it come to this? Are 1999, infecting the “provisional govern- this, by next year there’ll be only 20 compa- teacher, a bleak personality, relaxed in his you so baffled by the peculiar happen- ment” months that followed, carrying their nies left – all close to government, all in desperation, confessing to a past in one of ings around you that you are now bacillus of internecine murder – of alleged crime.” SHIK’s teams of assassins. O collaborators and of LDK members — a The resonances strengthened: threats Especially in his 30-minute DVD confes- questioning your own sanity? I do know how good two years into the new decade (even from Infopress, a young tabloid staffed by sion, it is the detail, the immediacy, and you feel – something is certainly very wrong longer in Ramush-land). It’s just been ripped PDK militants, now growing fat on govern- quantity of the information he offers that with the air... away.1999 is back. In our faces. ment advertising, mirrored those doled out astound: shredding the veil of mystery, Did you see the Caucus Race organised by It’s been poking and pawing its way back by forebears Kosovapress agency and Dita vaporising the intervening ten years. It Mr Dodo nearly four weeks ago? It was a to us since summer last year. Through his newspaper in late 1999 and Spring 2000. Back remains to be tested by police and judicial very curious race. There was no “One, two, eight years of exile from the premiership, then, the ex-provisional premier’s rage at investigation, but it is just too detailed, too three, and away,” but the contestants began PDK leader Hashim Thaci cultivated a softer the International Crisis Group’s report precise to be wished away.Koha Ditore news- running when they liked, and left off when image, an impression of modernisation, What Happened to the KLA? was reflected by paper in particular has been chasing some of they liked, so that it was not easy to know gradually airbrushing away his scary 1999 several break-ins at the organisation’s office his leads, who for the most part confirm when the race was over. And when – eventu- provisional turn. But could the new pastel and its temporary evacuation of a staff details of his account. ally - Mr Dodo called out that the race had colours survive his actual election? Left member. By the time he met representatives Like a gaggle of disparate scientists finished, there was one question on every- alone together in the same room, could the of an international organisation in October urgently experimenting with different reme- one’s lips: “But who has won?” prime minister be protected from Hashim? 2008 Hashim had the independent republic’s dies to plug a rent in the ozone layer, com- It took some time to answer this question. After eight years scuttling about under democratically elected prime minister cor- mentators from the accused wing of politics There was a preliminary effort, but this was the floorboards, lurking in cupboards and nered in his office, in a headlock, forcing have tried whatever they could: a front missing a fair amount of information, and it attics, the provisional government’s secret from the unfortunate a stream of phrases extending from Bllaca’s court-appointed took a full 12 days to work out the final service, SHIK, stepped out into the light of unbecoming of his position: “I have been lawyer (now recused) to Express newspaper results. And do you know what they were? At June 2008, thanked a bemused public for its merciful to you so far...put you behind bars... suggested that he is insane. The Infopress last, Mr Dodo announced, “EVERYBODY has cooperation, announced its own disband- no place for you in Kosovo... you’ll see who’s tabloid claimed the whole affair to be insti- won, and all must have prizes”. ment, and percolated its cadres into the boss now.” gated by Serbia, to destroy Kosovo’s image This behaviour suggest to me that perhaps elected government. And strengthened: the PDK’s campaign in just as the International Court of Justice it isn’t you who is mad, Alice. PDK officials insisted that SHIK’s provi- Prishtina for the 15 November mayoral elec- case commences, with EULEX and Kosovo’s Let’s take another example. In a perfectly sional government lineage made it a legal tion was an assault on the senses. Its inces- liberal media serving as Belgrade’s accom- normal city,in a perfectly normal country,in structure, awkwardly hinting at restoration sant, repetitive attacks upon the LDK plices. The PDK called for the dismissal of a perfectly normal world, where everything of the unelected administration, disbanded incumbent came over as thuggish — provok- the two LDD MPs who first publicised at the outset of 2000. ing total recall of what for many Prishtina Bllaca’s revelations, counter-accusers have is in its place and everyone knows his place, Simultaneously Hashim began gnawing natives was the rape of their city by the been found to sue them. the perfectly normal response to the tele- on the prime minister: bawling out and influx of rough KLA men from the country- But none of these technologies seem to vised musings of a self-confessed assassin intimidating the police over the burglar side in the second half of 1999, and a humil- work. The anaesthetic padding that separat- wandering the streets would be, “Off with intrusion at his home 6 June 2008, creating iating rejection of the PDK candidate. ed us from 1999, a fabric containing a mix of his head!” out of it shades of the Lord of the Rings or The 1999 reflex ratcheted another notch time, PR, road- and school-building, cannot The Queen would take time out of her cro- The Exorcist with a press release stressing with the PDK leadership’s tired and emo- be so easily reconstituted. quet game to pronounce speedy,effective and totally unaccountable judgement, the offend- er would be taken away for execution, and LETTER: the King would pardon him at the last minute (for you see, the Queen is all bark and no bite – none of her judgements has ever been implemented). Frustrated in Prishtina Sadly,the reverse may well end up happen- ing. alking down Agim walks behind the lay-by, taking You need more? We all know how delight- Ramadani the other all the remaining space ful mad hatters’ tea-parties are, especially Wevening, choking on designed for pedestrians. when attended by a March Hare who pro- the fumes and dust from the Then we have construction vides very poor advice and a dormouse, fast bumper-to-bumper traffic, I zones. Contractors are allowed asleep in the tea pot, who is pinched and was prompted to be more direct to spill out all over the side- poked by the other attendant guests. It is a than the last letter I wrote (an walks when constructing new miserable social situation indeed for those attempt at humor) entitled buildings. Trucks are allowed excluded from such revelry. For those of us “Thankful in Pristina”. Please to park on the sidewalk to serv- who indulge in something stronger than tea, let me start anew, and with a ice the sites. Who in this of course the next morning can be painful – vengeance. municipality is supposed to be but grinning like a Cheshire cat when ques- Pedestrians are the most looking out for the pedestrians? tioned by reporters is a sure-fire way to show important travelers in the cen- Do municipal officials ever how little you care. ter, a fact that has been walk anywhere and experience endorsed by planners in all the this themselves or are they part The thing is, Alice, if we grant that these European capitals. Pedestrians of the bumper-to-bumper people have fallen down the rabbit hole into should be encouraged. Why? crowd? a parallel universe of fantasy where nothing Because we each take up so lit- I think it’s time to ask this quite makes sense, then you too must have tle space (even standing in my municipality to join the rest of followed. You must be in there with them. So size 46 shoes, my body takes up Europe by encouraging its must I. Our little wonderland surely is becoming only a third of a square meter). footprints? And have you ever into the streets where we have pedestrians to stay on their feet Compare that to a small car seen a pedestrian take out a to risk our lives. and clearing the space designed curiouser and curiouser. Has time stood still, whose parking stall takes up 25 horn and honk angrily at Have you noticed the newest for us. unfixed even by the very best butter? Has it square meters. We pedestrians another person? What if we all investment – the “bus lay-by”? All it takes is a willingness to just looped back to ten years ago and we are don’t emit a noxious gas that is decided to drive to our destina- It’s the space provided to use a little political capital and stuck in déjà vu, supplemented by mobile harmful to human health. tions instead of walk? Think of busses to get out of the trav- several tow trucks encouraged phones, a lot more electricity and a bit more We’re far more flexible and the chaos! elled lane in order to stop and to make a good profit. Wasn’t independence? Are we dreaming, and will don’t cause expensive damage So why is it that cars receive let folks off and on. there a recent election? Didn’t we wake up with the sharp frosts of January when we bump into each other. such VIP treatment from the A lay-by might be an efficient someone just win by a land- to a much nastier, much less predictable We stop frequently, and easily, municipality? Cars are allowed technique to keep the traffic slide? world? Or are we all going mad? to buy from local merchants, to park all over the sidewalks – moving— but look at the unin- Alice – there’s only one explanation. I’m sustaining the local economy. our only space to walk safely tended consequence – cars are Fred Van Antwerp, mad. You’re mad. We’re all mad here. Need I bring up our carbon (see picture), forcing us out now allowed to park on the side- Urban Planner

To send a letter to Prishtina Insight, email [email protected]. 14 • December 11 - 23, 2009 If you would like your NGO to appear in our Making a Difference feature, please NGO Focus email [email protected] Speaking up on Corruption – FOL ‘08

Democracy, this movement is been a day when they list their an independent civic initiative, successes on their war against created in 2008, by a group of corruption. However, this is not By Visar Hapciu youngsters, whose goal was to the case.” strengthen the citizens’ influ- According to Zogaj, the ence on decision-making. American Chamber of According to Petrit Zogaj from Commerce revealed that 60 per FOL ’08, civil society’s role in cent of 550 enterprises have hickens are an unusual decision-making has been hin- used bribery as means to enter tool for an NGO to use in dered by the unwillingness of the market. the fight against ‘lazy’ C the government to cooperate. He added: “According to parliamentarians, but they He added: “Because of the gov- Transparency International, were deployed to dramatic ernment’s hesitation to cooper- the judicial system in Kosovo is effect last year by the youthful ate, civil society’s influence on the most corrupted [institu- NGO, FOL’08. A year ago, the organisation, decision-making is weaker tion].” along with Initiative for than in other countries.” FOL ’08 has always made their Progress, INPO, sent 120 chick- On December 9, on the voice heard when it comes to ens into the yard of the International Anti-Corruption fighting corruption. Assembly of Republic of day, FOL ’08 movement took Its anti-corruption activities Kosovo. part in a peaceful protest are plentiful, and in many The number 120 coincides with march. cases it has made suggestions the number of members of par- They stopped in front of the and remarks on the national liament. Through this act, FOL Constitutional Court, the insti- anti-corruption strategy. ’08 tried to symbolise the lack tution of the public prosecutor, Zogaj said: “Since the last year, of courage shown by the mem- and the government. FOL ’08 FOL ’08 has made numerous bers of parliament in address- activists then showed the red requests to the Anti-Corruption ing fundamental issues. card to the government. Agency to reveal ‘official gifts’, This is far from the only eye- Zogaj said: “This gesture was a but we either didn’t get an catching protest the orgnasia- message to the government. We answer, or the answers were tion has held and has created a wanted to say that it is the last incomplete. The biggest barrier reputation for expressing their chance for them to stop inter- for us is that the institutions discontent about developments fering in independent institu- and the government do not con- in society artistically. tions and let them do their job.” sider the civil society as their Financed by Royal Norwegian He added: “For the government partner.” Embassy in Kosovo, National and all the institutions of Visit Endowment for Democracy and Kosovo, December 9(the day of http://fol08.wordpress.com for byPhoto FOL‘08 One stunt organised by FOL‘08 The Balkan Trust for Anti-Corruption) should have more information.

Easy

Embassies and Liaison Offices in Prishtina 148736592 American Bulgarian 2, #1 927518643

Address: "Nazim Hikmet" no. 30 Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 12 French Japanese 10000 Prishtina Arbëria/Dragodan, 10000 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 67 Address: "Rexhep Malaj" no. 43 Phone: +381 (0) 38 549 203 635942718

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Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 995 Prishtina Str. Perandori Justinian No. 19 Prishtina Pejton 289453176 Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 284 Phone: +381 (0) 38 226 787

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Norwegian Phone: +381 (0) 38 248 088 Finnish Address: "Sejdi Kryeziu" no. 6 139542678

British Italian

10000 Prishtina Turkish Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 6 Str. Perandori Justinian No. 19 Address: "Azem Jashanica" no.5 275968341 Phone: +381 (0) 38 232 111 00 Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 59

Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Pejton Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina 10 000 Pristina Prishtina Saudia Arabian Prishtina 918236457

Phone: +381 (0) 38 254 700 Phone: +386 43 737 000 Phone: +381 (0) 38 244 925 Address: Dardania SU 7, building Phone: +381 (0) 38 226 044 723154986

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92 5 195 8 36 867425193 47 6 938 4 243196758 By Visar Hapçiu • December 11 - 23, 2009 15 in Prishtina Timeout Contact Prishtina Insight if you would like your event to feature or to advertise your venue. Email [email protected] Prishtina Diary December 11, with DJ Jimi 10 PM (U.K.) and Flirt Club: A Tekked – Hip Hop night Entrance free with Lyrical Son and DJ Jungle- December 12, Entrance 2 M, 1 10 PM F (reservation: Why Not Club: 049/ 155 614) A night with The Program of Human Rights International Florent Nushi December 11, Documentary Film Festival in Prishtina 7 PM December 12, Dit’ e Nat’: 11 PM Poetry reading Peppermint with Shawn Club: House December 16 December 18 December 19

Sturgeon, a poet music with 7:30 PM - “Return to Kosova”, by 4 PM - “And there was light”, by 4:55 PM - “Tallava SuperStar”, by Lekë and a professor Arlind Kozeli Andreas Rocksen Dzemal Sokolovic Rezniqi in American (Tattoo) from 4:55 PM - “Roma, the lost roads”, by 5:45 PM - “ Catharsis”, by Javor Bobev December 17 Bernard Kleindienst 6:50 PM - “Alone in Four Walls”, by University in Tirana- 5:40 PM - “Date of Stars”, by Hareza Alexandra Westmeier Basha 9 PM - “Against Blood Justice”, by 4 PM -“Plum Blossom in Snow”, by Kosovo Entrance 3 M, 6:30 PM - “...And that’s it”, by Arben Turi Finocchiaro Elefteria Kalogritsa 2 F Llapashtica 9:55 PM - “Left Behind”, by Fabian Daub 5 PM - “The Birthday”, by Negin 7:10 PM - “Me, my Gipsy Family and 10:10 PM - “Iraqi Exodus”, by Tania December 11, Kianfar and Daisy Mohr Woody Allen”, by Laura Rakhmanova 6:10 PM - “Two Love Stories”, by Shota around 10:30 PM December 12, Halilovic 11:05 PM – “Music Partisans”, by Bukoshi 9 PM - “A Wall of Silence”, by Miroslaw Dembinski Duplex Club: around 10:30 PM 6:40 PM - “Odd Labor Time”, by Parta Sebastian Saam Kelmendi Electro/ pro- Duplex Club: 9:30 PM - “Erna’s Video”, by Karl Ingar 7:05 PM - “Look at the life through my December 20 10:05 PM - “Open Wound”, by Eki gressive music The Best of Hip- eyes”, by Marija Dzidzeva Rrahmani 9 PM - “1 Hour – 99 Years”, by Daisy 5:30 PM - “Who speaks Albanian?”, by with DJ profes- Hop and RnB 10:40 PM - “Berries from Brod”, by Eric Mohr Nick Klementi Fusco sional (Radio with DJ Jungle 10 PM - “Beneath Everest – Nepal 7 PM - Stories on Human Rights 11 PM - “World’s Noblemen”, by Mrika Reborn”, by Talusi Bhandari Plus) and Hip- Krasniqi Hop with resi- December 12, Hosted by: ABC Cinema dent DJ Pamoni 9:20 PM The Dubliner December 11, Irish Pub: Rock around 10 PM n’ Roll night Cinema Pristina In Your DEEPO Club: with Asgje Sikur Hip Hop night Dielli (Nothing Pocket city guide with DJ Chvare Like the Sun)- from Macedonia. Entrance free

December 11, December 12, 8 PM 8:30 PM Underbar Porta (Mitrovica): (Prizren): DJ Oriental music Blunt and Real performed by 1- Entrance 2 Baboo-Darabuka (Mohamad Al- December 12, Khazali and 5 PM (Part of Alban Sejdiu) the Turkish and DJ Benity Film Week) ABC Cinema: December 12, “Autumn”, a around 10 PM movie Ozcan DEEPO Club: Alper Uran B and a

special guest for December 12, rom December 11 to December 15, ABC Cinema a special house 7 PM (Part of is hosting the Turkish Film Week. In this sec- night the Turkish Fond year of the Turkish Film Week, 6 movies New issue for sale at will be shown, all of them subtitled in English and Film Week) Albanian. You can find more information about the Dukagjini and Dit e Nat December 12, ABC Cinema: time these movies will be screened on the Prishtina For more info tel. +38 649 173 447 Diary section on this page. The entrance is free, but 10 PM “Bliss”, a movie you are encouraged to call in advance to see if there Novel Bar: by Abdullah are places left in the cinema. http://pristina.inyourpocket.com Drum and Bass Oguz Reservation: 038/ 243 – 117 16 • December 11 - 23, 2009 marketing