News: EULEX Officers Caught ‘Smuggling’ Out of

April 23 - May 6, 2010 Issue No. 38 www.prishtinainsight.com Now on sale for € 1 Pacolli Builds NEWS Poor Mansion Infrastructure Outside Keeps Kosovo Off Prishtina Tourist Map Pacolli’s large villa is sur- > page 4 rounded by a two metre high wall. It is being built by his construction com- pany Mabetex, which has been involved in a number of high profile contracts in BUSINESS the former Soviet Union Kosovo Failing and Kosovo. See Page 6 to Meet Green Energy Targets Ban on British Cars to be > page 5 GUIDE Get the Paintball Challenged in Court Rolling The people of a village where a third of locals own right-hand-drive UK cars have mounted a legal challenge to a July > page 10 2009 ruling which banned such vehicles from the roads.

already have a Kosovo-registered 2008, and in 2009 another 1,006 According to article three of the FOOD & DRINK By Petrit Collaku right-hand-drive car have been were brought in, despite the ban Constitution, the principle of Cantina AM-PM: required to make the modification, being introduced halfway though equality before the law was being ban on right-hand-dive cars which can cost up to 7,000 euro, the year. British second-hand cars violated, “because the people I rep- Stylish Mexican in in Kosovo is being chal- when they carry out their yearly are popular in Kosovo as they are resent have paid all the necessary lenged in the constitutional A registration of the car. British reg- sold at a fraction of the price of payments, as everyone else has, a Refined Setting court, Prishtina Insight can istered cars driven by non- vehicles in the region. but with this instruction they are reveal. The ban relates to a > page 10 Ministry of Transport order, Kosovars are still allowed on the Lawyer Naser has taken not equal before the law”, Gashi roads. up the case of 40 people from the said. issued in July 2009, barring vehi- FEATURE cles imported from Britain, The Ministry of Transport village of Llugaxhi, who are now The ministry’s reply to the Cyprus and Malta from Kosovo’s argues that the ban was intro- unable to use their cars. Gashi Constitutional Court, seen by roads. duced for safety reasons, although argues that the order violates arti- Prishtina Insight, says the deci- Women Sacrifice To register a right-hand-drive Kosovo Police told Prishtina cle 46 of the constitution, which sion has no retroactive legal basis. Inheritance car in Kosovo, the owner must first Insight that they have no statistics says that “no one shall be arbitrar- But Gashi claims that the ministry carry out expensive, and potential- showing that right-hand-drive cars ily deprived of property. This cate- is arguing over semantics, as forc- for Tradition ly dangerous, changes to the vehi- are involved in more crashes than gory of people is being arbitrarily ing cars to switch before their cle before they can receive a cer- any others. deprived,” Gashi said. “next registration”, which hap- > page 7 tificate at a government-licensed It is not known how many such He added that the act was pens yearly, is equivalent to a test centre. vehicles are in Kosovo, but accord- retroactive, drawing all the right- retroactive order. The order applies retroactively, ing to customs 439 cars were hand-drive vehicles into the ban, NGO FOCUS meaning that even those who imported from the UK to Kosovo in also violating the constitution. continues page 2 Giving the Blind Roma Boxing Club Aims Minister Limaj Calls for Hope to End the Fighting Better Road Quality > page 14

osovo’s Minister of Transport The president of the Kosovo Boxing Fatmir Limaj has called on road Federation said that sports would lead to Kbuilders to improve the quality way to reconciliation between commu- of, and commitment to, their work. nites. The comments were made to the The remarks came as seven boxing clubs Association of Road Builders last week, from Kosovo participated in an event following the signing... city marking International... page 6 business page 5

Y M is supported by: C K 2 April 23 - May 6, 2010 news Right-Hand-Drive Ban Goes to Constitutional Court

from page 1

“What about the previous cars that were registered in Kosovo? Now they have to pay extra to make the switch from their family budget,” Gashi said. He said it is now up to the Constitutional Court to decide, but called on the government to com- pensate those being forced to make the changes. “It’s the government that allowed them to register those cars,” Gashi added. The Ministry of Transport claimed in their submission to the court that changing the steering wheel from right to left is a person- al financial matter, which the vehi- cle owner must arrange if he or she wants to carry on using a car in Kosovo. Point ten of the min- istry’s reply also states that legal- ising right-hand vehicles would endanger other drivers. Of the 1,200 people officially reg- Photo by Petrit Collaku Petrit by Photo istered in Llugaxhi, near Lipjan, Selatin Retkoceri’s Mercedes remains in bits after workers started to switch the right-hand-drive car to the left, but couldn’t find the parts 400 currently live in the UK and on the right side, they may confis- of traffic accidents happen when Renault mechanic said. requests he secured a “refusal many have brought cars back to cate it,” he added. cars overtake unsafely. “We have A Peugeot garage said the paper” from the test centre. “I their families in the village. Of the More then 40 people from the vil- all the statistics but we have not changes are not affordable. “It is was told by this centre in Prizren 270 vehicles in the hamlet, 70 are lage have brought a complaint looked to see if UK cars are expensive because we offer origi- orally that they cannot undertake right-hand-drive and none can be against the Ministry of involved in more accidents,” Baki nal parts,” Halil Elshani said. a technical test of British cars legally driven on Kosovo’s roads. Transport’s administrative order. Kelani, Kosovo police spokesper- Elshani added that new cars are because of the orders of the Selatin Retkoceri said he has One is Hakif Selimi. He has two son, told Prishtina Insight. almost fully computerised and Ministry of Transport,” several such cars at home with right-hand vehicles. He bought a A Volkswagen authorised dealer detailed work is needed to make Abdullahu said. Kosovo plates, which he could no van for 3,000 euro to use for his and service centre in Prishtina the switch. Abdullahu, who owns a Ford longer use because of the ban. dairy company. The van is still reg- said it had received few requests to The Constitutional Court has Mondeo imported from UK, said “Why have they allowed British istered legally until August but he switch the steering wheel because told Gashi that he needs to present that he checked with the Ford cars into Kosovo and then decided fears that he may go out of busi- it was expensive. “People cannot proof that the cars have been office in Kosovo and was told that to make these changes?” he asked. ness if he is forced to give up his afford the price we ask for such refused a certificate at test centres. such changes were impossible. He bought a Mercedes in March vehicle, as he cannot afford the changes,” Haki Abdullahu, a tech- “My clients have told me that no He added that someone had 2009 for 12,000 euro and paid all switch. nician, told Prishtina Insight. To one from the centres issued such offered him a car, which was in necessary import duties and cus- “I bought this car because it was do a proper job would cost 6,000 to certificates of refusal, although parts, but he later found out that toms of around 3,000 euro before cheaper than everywhere,” Selimi 7,000 euro, depending on the type they requested them,” he added. it was stolen. “This way, the gov- the ban was introduced four said. “There is no one in Kosovo to of the vehicle, he explained. But one man, Shukri ernment is encouraging more months later. make these changes safely,” he Abdullahu said one of the vehi- Abdullahu from Prizren, who has organised crime. I don’t want to He paid a garage 4,000 euro to added. “I don’t know how the min- cles brought in for a service follow- joined the group fighting the min- buy a stolen vehicle for spare switch the steering wheel but the istry can take such a harmful deci- ing a switch was in such a poor istry, said that after numerous parts,” he said. work has been halted because the sion. We have paid all necessary state that they refused to work on mechanics cannot find the right payments, customs, and now we it. “When I saw the wheel welded parts. “For the time being, the have to pay additional expenses.” so badly, we could not continue the work is going really badly as it is Balkan Road Laws: Selimi showed us another vehi- service for him. These people are hard to find spare parts and if you cle, a VW Passat. “I cannot drive it signing a suicide contract,” find some they don’t fit,” he said. Last December, adopted a new traffic law which allows driv- but at least my drive looks beauti- Abdullahu said. He now believes the process is ers to be fined if music in the car is so loud that driver cannot hear ful,” he joked. “I have to make The Renault office in Kosovo unsafe as the work involves cut- the horn of other road users. The fine is 5,000 dinars, or about 50 euro. changes to this car too but it’s said it had carried out no right- ting the chassis, but he is still The law also stipulates that if a pedestrian gets caught with head- impossible because it is too expen- hand switches. “People visited us pressing ahead as the garage has phones from an mp3 player or an iPod in his or her ears while cross- sive.” but when we asked for 5,000 euro, already begun transferring the ing a street, that person will be fined 3,000 dinars. Kosovo police said the majority and for some cars up to 6,000 euro, wheel. “If police see that my car In Macedonia, among the many strange regulations, drivers must at they left,” Jeton Kurteshi, a still has the wheel all time wear a safety vest while refueling at a petrol station. osovo Economy News: Firms Allege Cronyism is Undermining K News: Kosovo’s New Highway – The Most Expensive in Region?

Tensions Unnerve South Serbia Villagers on Kosovo Border News: .com Free copy . 33 www.prishtinainsight y 12 - 25 , 2010 Issue No y Februar .com Free cop .prishtinainsight GUIDE sue No.32 www ebruary 11, 2010 Is Kosovo’s January29 - F FEATURE y s ‘Alternative’ Ski Season.com Free cop Kosovo Become Subscribe to Prishtina ants www.prishtinainsight ff Outdoor Sport sue No.31 Finally Gets o Home to Migr 2010 Is TURE sylum- Destination - Boge January 15 - 28, to FlyingFEA Start s and A > page 7 Top Ten Prishtinaf the w orstInsight’Year Seekers After oneReview o of the Destinationsstarts in 30 years, Brezovica's ski season > page 7 ed off. for 2010 has finally kick s look- wboarders ARTE With your diarie Skiers and sno ’s New pty for orce last Tim Judah ing decidedly em , were out in f xt 12 months enjoying the Book the ne weekend, s. Prishtina Insight has > pagew and blue 7 skie > page 9 op ten fresh sno FEATURE compiled its t e information on Insight for just 13 or 2010 inFor morINSIDE PRISHTINA Son’s Search For destinations f eather and events inCity ofGUIDE ranging the w The Ancient the region, al visit Father Uncovers t-see cultur Brezonvica, Kosovo’s Railways, from mus Ulpianasnow. w Albanian Mass o culinary njeri.net/ a Safe but Slo events t > page 11 Grave

w Njeri as. extravaganz way to Travel

8-9 NEIGHBOURHOOD > page 9 o by o Sno Turn to page Politicians> page 8

Phot . for full story ‘Cynical’ Photo by Petrit Collaku for Prishtina Insight Prishtina for Collaku by Petrit Photo ania Floods use Alb FOOD & DRINK CULTURE to Score Points Enjoy Far-Flung Chemical Brothers s’ apparent surrender New RTKKosovo Chief Rocked Preparests warnbypage that the12 Strikes authoritie Food in a Homely to Perform in Prizren ay rises, economis > s e at alth workers walk off with thumping p ard tells it Atmospherw. As police and he e. oadcaster’s bo health insurance la > page 10 ouraging more strikes in futur ajaziti, managed to end the an agreement,ant euro for six months un P tactics are merely enc tarved RTK,inde thependence public Zenbr FOOD & DRINK As a result of estaur secondor cash-s anniversary of -cent salary tleee- atHome R gency fund f ed to have strike by offering a 30-per Whishealth workers also obtained a 30- o emer on February 17 appear s position after a thr for Pressure.3million eur testincreaseShaqiri’. Wet your ease. By Petrit Collaku orkers to per-cent> salary page incr 10 oves a 5 ee-month trialroused period many dissatisfiedf guar w d by his la orkers the Minister As parliament appr al he is on a thr were caught of Morme onththan trial 2,000 period. healthaqa w s appoint-Now it is the turn of ficerslish, doc- it.” protest. eneral director and Filikeetsbout of Shaqiri’Prishtina ds w director gener isgruntled policee will of pub otion to g e theorethen tookQuestions to the str a y mem- Road Goesoversial ne Nowheresources, then w t who promingree the strikpletesed ared interv m ening of Justice to deal with prison guar contr ds andShaqiri, cour Experts a y consider ednesdaent hay,ve gathering also been outside raised the b CITY yees. Up to 500 tors, prisonppointm guarent of hadould initiall be combroken prom- on W m page 10 and court emplo wrence Mar The a eets eekproductaid w of decades of Health> and f,orcing who point the to his By Petrit Collaku & La employees tookTK’ tos topthe job strfficials this w s ocess. s Ministrybers of of civil society ds have been protesting since Dwas handed R in they,but pr say the government’bassy official o phas- eakingto g therant storyguar on Staff s board,ver has sur-ises on pa e in tw , Alush entGashi, in br EULEXeek outside Dubrava ec-of Kosovooad in theirthatoadcaster’ thousandssenior o o One high rankingwarding emded shar to bpt therministere involvemas verning coali-the end of last w ppointed dirpavedby r the br vil y.societyad hoc responsealw inays a inten pse ofYthe gote meet- se, while TK’s newly a ‘vital’ eek, demanding, including better ci pa aste f protestthe leaders colla anCIT immedia arty of demanding a payFrom ri waiting the the pastprised w some nicipal- walso told Prishtinaough Insight the initial thaould notenderw w tic P prison,y Western KosovoSylejman Shaqiri, ve alrnationaleaduy compay rises .to policees, althn andtha tmedical Shaqiri to stafw Sferke”.ing. the Democras Comftic ‘Banned’yees have been staging tor general, t to a m oute aq tion in of ocra t emplo es are still a The authoritiesthe ein rthe oadha inter -long r was concerk of strategy. “Zah isused EC Buyand Dem cour ed villag e and2008 som g a 3.3km reveal a lac labeled oadcastingas been minThe unionsvo, PDK,gave the minister es for the past threetee ee isolat has told Prishtina Insight ‘politi- tha cavedJun into police creatinand medical bring all political ganbr their Kosohas or wivelone-hourin strik Thr o. R essure freom site in munity- . depot, journalistas issuedAbout in500 police“Not abe cent h inistry eview theirKoso requestvo, LDK, f Parking in Str ring th - tion het dismissed.the m three days togue r of onths ag he expectswhile pr tou ouanisedld emplobe inauguyees, promptingA second criticismears tender of wect the comhouse. An accusay at the police ticles Lea Sofas and wS days.ged than 18 m oad w Shaqiri has 30 y eer work-protest last Tuesdaprojects thawspaperaintained. ar eases and. The a pprovestory alsoa ne alle try cians, businesses and org erting t2009 thishis to car willconn oad with ,” he, near m salary incrNovember entary CITY and said theoadcaster’ r ters editori-. from economistsOctob,star tha the newTP, r But contraryeinvested in Kishnice to inne nationalinistry of s yersforliam toMinis > page 6 over the bro weeks la experienceith lic sectortion for Rtrainingth centrer t Interom the labourm law, obligingChairesident emplo and par ge 2 crime’ rated tw ge morpletede pubsection of g a fursuggesting n ofthaficial fr eithN thathat thet the pr continues on pa By Fatos Halili who visited theencoura site ingwedin on a local radio sta befGracanica.ore AfterA eight hourstive Pieter of FIR e protectionould tobe stafreplaced.f, and a To receive Prishtina Insight, Kosovo’s only English language newspaper, delivered to y. imaj, ajr ve,Prishtina, requirin epresenta ter told, B give mor e er w al ectpolic L inisteremplo H yees to strikelevisionLutoe. glla of Civilian R sport la e ent,road tospeak th Serbia Puts OSCE as to conn w appointeerime M said he Radioital T new asphalt.acting negotiaedi- tions for, thetran Interior Ministers appointmvert th NGO FOCUS that w Butn theDe punety P ced oadstory as, “v mtions of of Kosovo’s warded lock Shaqiri’ to the vil- > page 6 road wester op a well sour Imminentrising of celebra to2.3k the position of as a was to bdecision to di ould, ge 2 ges in wouldy notKu drci, described they rPrimthis eregion TK.ntract w e value of an for Feith, insteadsaid he wof ke, w as continues on pa ColdBuilding Up For Sale three villa ed to do so b hiefThefor Rco bove th a spokesmlandfill site Business ‘A Soft Hand, as praised b he is ask bitants of tor-in-c o, well a oute TK’utos boargllaved, reviewand Sfer Kosovo, and w t duringeven if for the inha Peja”. 664,000 eur The r L . Transpor icipThaci.ality of ativePrishtinaw Insight understandstract. ats in keline withlages Rof unicipality OCUS Warm A Mplet-inisterthe Hashim mun InvestigIntervie e initialnational con diplom d Sfer y Peja m NGO F or Plans to Up > page 6 inister of “If the storyalkan is based th gllave an . made b KEK Slammed f Mind and the M has not been com Shaqiri said:But the B e veredthat senior intereen Luto eantime ss your door for just 13 euro for six months contact our team at uction, ed it orkom hassecur betw the m page 2 ne constr inister pledg , unbiased,ting andNetw fr costing payorved in – ‘WeBusiness ieWillw Feed tinues on – One2O e m moner f.acts Repor oad,Gracanicaremains Ma un an interv con Igniting Busine Heart’ ed – after th y last sum m-long r IRN in as Electricity Prices b e that the 4.4k ver completed. imaj told B heme w ARK y provider has applied ld be finished ded th , was ne ed L t the sc Kosovo’s energ NGO FOCUS wou ir Limaj lau os ’ onth tha Ideas – SP Kosova , leading the ister Fatm Newsing 244,000 eur unicipalityPrishtina decid last m PTK to bea priSoldvate by August, Advisors ease electricity prices Min the route link Peja m of ts of Prishtina, to incr vere- of gllave Indeed, pleted section On the outskir Commerce to se ‘Swiss Cultural construction Luto e com Kosovo Chamber ofpage 14 Zahaq, vert th house is marked with a sign in Cyrillic licly owned post and tele- > ovider’s decision and ges of unicipality to di RecommendPristina munic- vo’s pub ly criticised the pr [email protected]. the villa e Peja m Olli Rehn: Visa-Free Travel Will “Town hall of Koso is expected to be ke in th that reads: w hun- y, PTK, corruption. Programme - Making and Sfer lic of Serbia”. A fe phone compan ear.accused it of , KEK, Business ipalitys Life, Repubin y August this y y Provider w with BIRN’ es further on, after passing privatised b ed transactionKosovo Energ y Your Art Beat Follow Reforms In an intervie emdredsent com- metr vernm ent-hir t it was the Energ , stands a The go claimed tha ted to vo show, the EU enlarg Gracanica’s historic monastery y Lichtenstein-based fice, which is manda Koso Foreign Investment. UntilFalls r ecentl iny Kosovo, ledy b Regulable to torythe Of page 14 ehn discusses whitethe condi-, two-storvo ey house osoadvisorsvo fell b page 5 > missioner Olli R tion for Koso ormedent in K G,r revealedo the timeta pprove... News t, it has been transfvestm Telcoillion A eu fix and a Do you have a product to sell? A restaurant to advertise? A hotel to market? vers Holes in tions for visa liberalisafor Secondthe orkMotel on YearDuka Foreign in om 366 m Economy and Finance and osovo’s leaders must w w seat... page 4 Ministry of and how K rupitioninto the and ne 22 per cent in 2009 fr o. ehursday. and tackle cor illion eur PTKu teslast th T vo’s... page 5 BIRN Probe Unco rule ofospi-law wards the in 2008 to 285 m ment attrib Koso ervice vo’s state h ogress to vern PTK ,is eco- one of fin osoK organisedwn crime to pr While the go ancial crisis Medical staf e global fin e drop is Kosovo Health S tients toEur theiropean ohen Union... decline to th tain th e directing pa ent even w page 4 ts main tals ar or treatm ee ic exper g. Prishtina Insight can help you reach Kosovo’s international audience. For more linics f ble fr nom the private c e availa eless disturbin or of page 14 ey need ar ves- noneth vice-govern > s, an in erguri, age 5 the services th lic institution ativeis supported by: Gani G p arge in pub an Investig k... Y of ch alk central ban by the B evealed. tigation k,BIRN, has r t g Networ oblems tha Reportin many pr st one of age 3 information email [email protected] This is ju p ... y: M the probeis supported b C ed by: K is support news April 23 - May 6, 2010 3 Report Condemns Growing Editor’s word Attacks on Kosovo Judiciary Gezuar Improved security for judicial staff urged by OSCE to prevent intimidation of courts and loss of public confidence in their impartiality. By Lawrence Marzouk on Monday. Kurti had again failed to appear on charges related to a protest in 2007 and members of his f you’ve spent any amount of By Lawrence Marzouk movement decided to express their and Belinda Vrapi time in Prishtina’s bars or dissatisfaction with the process by Irestaurants, you will know attacking . what ‘Gezuar’ means. Although The event led to a joint call by I hesitated this week over onitors working for the OSCE Kosovo’s three highest-ranking whether to use the Romanian have disclosed a series of vio- European Union representatives. word for cheers, Noroc, instead Mlent attacks on, and death In a joint statement, Pieter Feith, of the Albanian. threats made to, judicial employees in EU Special Representative in The reasons will be all too Kosovo. Kosovo, Yves de Kermabon, head of obvious to most of you, but for The organisation is calling for the EULEX mission, and Renzo those who have had a news tighter security of the type already Daviddi, head of the European bypass, 16 Romanian gen- accorded to international judges Commission Liaison Office to darmes working for EULEX working for the EU rule of law mis- Kosovo, said the rule of law could were caught on Tuesday night sion in Kosovo, EULEX. not function if justice officials were smuggling thousands of ciga- According to the OSCE report unable to operate “without political rettes and a stockpile of booze ‘Intimidation of the Judiciary: interference, disruption or vio- out of Kosovo. Security of Judges and

lence”. Ditore Koha by Photo It is one of those stories Prosecutors’, published on April 15, They called on the authorities “to Lawyer Avni Gjakova was pelted with eggs while entering court last week which falls firmly into the ‘you there is “a continuing or even grow- protect the independence of the couldn’t make it up’ category. ing trend of insecurity and intimi- first place. cases of physical violence. “There judiciary”. And while I couldn’t help but dation of the judiciary”. The report notes that while there have been verbal assaults but not On October 7, 2009, at the same chuckle at photos of the moun- The report reads: “This affects is a police presence at public trials, serious physical ones,” he main- court, while the prosecutor was tains of cheap cigarettes and not only the independence and no security is provided during the tained. reading out amendments to the alcohol strewn across the floor impartiality of the courts, or at many cases held in judges’ offices. “Any cases which involved physi- indictment, the defendant, charged of Macedonia’s border point, least the perception of it, but it also As a result of intimidation, cal assaults on judges in court [have with aggravated murder and the news certainly does nothing undermines the credibility and some cases are being transferred attempted aggravated murder, occurred] because the Kosovo to enhance EULEX’s or authority of prosecutorial and judi- from local judges and prosecutors grabbed a chair and threw it at him. Police has been negligent in per- ’s embattled reputa- cial institutions in the eyes of the to EULEX, which provides close On January 15, 2009, in the dis- forming its duty,” he continued. tions in Kosovo. public.” protection units when needed. trict public prosecutor’s office in Asked what measures were being After Romanian police, work- The OSCE has called on the “Such practice is not the most Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, a party in a taken to prevent such situations, ing for UNMIK, shot dead two Kosovo Judicial Council, the body appropriate way to address the court case entered the office of the Tashollli said the Judicial Council Vetevendosje protesters in 2007, responsible for the independence matter, but apparently it is the only public prosecutor and, in the pres- had started to hold negotiations and escaped without punish- and impartiality of the judicial sys- one used so far,” the report said. ence of other employees, said: “I ment, and the country failed to tem, to beef up its security meas- and regular meetings with Kosovo am giving you my word that your Ilir Tasholli, of the Security recognise Kosovo’s independ- ures and carry out risk assess- Police. “There is also in place a children will become orphans.” Office of the Kosovo Judicial ence in 2008, it is hardly a sur- ments. memorandum of understanding On May 7, 2009, in the Prizren Council, said security in courts was prise we don’t see red, yellow Ilir Tasholli, head of the Security between the Ministry of Interior municipal courthouse, two individ- being improved through the provi- and blue flags being waved in Office for the Kosovo Judicial and the KJC for these cases uals insulted, threatened and used sion of new equipment, such as the streets of Prishtina. But, Council, told Prishtina Insight that [attacks] to be treated as a priority,” physical violence against the court metal dictators, as well as trained with this bizarre and highly the situation was already improv- he said. clerk, inflicting “grave bodily security staff. embarrassing episode, ing, and blamed the police for fail- “I am well aware… that people in injuries”. They also assaulted a “We have put in well informed Dracula’s realm has sunk to a ing to provide adequate protection such professions… are at risk of female security worker of the and trained security officials who new low. in the cases mentioned by OSCE. court, causing her light bodily are responsible for detecting and assault. We are doing our best to For EULEX, this represents This issue was brought again injuries. checking the legitimacy of people provide a safe working environ- another public relations disas- into focus this week when Avni In each of these cases the threats who want to enter the courts,” he ment within the courts and during ter, following hot on the heels of Gjakova, lawyer for the leader of and violence resulted in jail sen- said. working hours,” he added. the counterproductive decision the Vetevendosje [self-determina- tences but the OSCE believes not Asked if he was aware of the However, he cautioned that to take Vetevendosje’s leader, tion] movement, Albin Kurti, was enough is being done to prevent reported violent attacks, Tusholli resources were lacking to provide Albin Kurti, to court before pelted with eggs as he entered court these acts from occurring in the said he was not aware of serious security outside of court. achieving any concrete progress in the fight against corruption. I do have some sympathy for EULEX Officers Caught the EU mission. With 3,000 staff, it is inevitable that some employees will, at some point, cause you embarrassment. ‘Smuggling’ Out of Kosovo It is, however, very unfortu- nate that this has manifested tequila and vodka, were also found. itself in form of breaking cus- EULEX’s mission includes men- toms regulations, when EULEX toring, monitoring and advising By Lawrence Marzouk are here to help Kosovars Kosovo’s customs staff. The mission improve their border security has launched an internal invesiga- and crackdown on smuggling. tion into the affair. The full facts of this debacle omanian EULEX officers have On Thursday night, EULEX con- are yet to emerge – although the been sent home after being caught firmed that Romanian authorities chain of events seems pretty Rsmuggling large quantities of have terminated the mission of the clear. Once they do come out, cigarettes and alcohol out of Gendarmes while the investigation Kosovo. tough action and a public apolo- continues. Macedonian customs officers at gy should follow from EULEX. The Macedonian authorities the Blace border crossing with And from the Romanians? determined that 178 cartons of ciga- Kosovo stopped a bus with Well, they could start by hand- rettes were the property of the bus Romanian number plates, driven by The haul of cigarettes and alcohol uncovered by Macedonian customs ing over those responsible for driver while the rest of the ciga- a Romanian driver and carrying 16 the 2007 deaths and recognising rettes and the alcohol belonged to said the Head of Mission, Yves de “But EULEX takes very seriously Romanian staff from the EU rule of Kosovo’s independence. the passengers. The goods have Kermabon, had been informed. any allegations that members of its law mission, on Tuesday night. I, for one, would be happy to been temporarily seized and the “The full facts relating to this staff may have acted either illegally They found 314 cartons of ciga- pardon this latest indiscretion, driver and passengers fined. incident are still being established. or contrary to the strict internal rettes stashed in the boot and in the crack open one of their smug- The Romanian Gendarmes were I do not want to pre-judge any disciplinary code of the mission. If Y passenger’s travel bags. gled bottles and toast them with returning home to Romania from inquiry,” said the Deputy Head of individuals are found to have acted M Some 133 litres of alcoholic a ‘Noroc’ for that. Kosovo when they were stopped. the EULEX Police Component, wrongly, action will be taken, with- C drinks, including whisky, cognac, EULEX spokesman Karin Limdal Lambert Lucas. out hesitation,” he added. K 4 April 23 - May 6, 2010 news Poor Infrastructure Keeps Kosovo Off Tourist Map Prishtina was listed a ‘highlight’ of the Western Balkans in the Lonely Planet guide – and officials claim tourist numbers are rising – but the lack of basic amenities continues to deter many visitors. that caters for an international mar- ket, Tourism Planning and Development Consulting. This firm By Besiana Xharra has begun a partnership with a Regent Holidays, based in Bristol, England, which has been bringing ourism is seen as a key pillar in visitors from Britain and elsewhere Kosovo’s economic plan but since last May. Tdespite a smattering of visitors, Regent Holidays brought its first poor infrastructure continues to prevent group of 22 British tourists to the country from realising its potential, Kosovo for a long weekend last May. experts say. Their tour took in Gjakove, Peje, The Investment Promotion Istog, Prekaz and Prishtina. Agency of Kosova, a government The firm, which specializes in agency, trumpets the two-year-old trips to unusual destinations, mar- state’s ability to “compete in the kets Kosovo as “ideal for pioneering international tourism market”. travellers keen to discover Europe’s It says: “With its different sport, newest country”. Prices range from recreational and wellness facilities £550 for a three-day break to £880 for located throughout the country, a weeklong escorted tour. Kosovo offers a wide range of Andrea Godfrey, general manager tourism at the ministry. tionally have not succeeded so far. Thaci, said. tourism attractions.” for Regent Holidays, told Prishtina “At these fairs we have enabled The high cost of plane tickets was a Last October, the government But tourism operators believe Insight that Kosovo had potential businesses, especially tourist agen- major factor in deterring potential launched a 6 million euro campaign Kosovo is still a long way from pro- but lacked good tour guides and cies and hotels, to present their visitors. to rebrand Kosovo’s image through viding the necessary infrastructure information for tourists. offers,” he explained. When “No one will come to Kosovo with its adverts, styled “The Young to become a mainstream destina- She added that hotel prices were Prishtina Insight visited the min- the ticket prices as high as we have,” Europeans”. The adverts, shown on tion. Attempts to promote the coun- expensive compared to similar istry’s tourism fair in the capital, he said. “Then there are other basic international news channels and try internationally have yet to make countries. “Kosovo needs to have however, it was noticeable that most problems like the water and electric- devised by the well-known PR firm much impact. trained guides, and develop itself offers were for travel abroad. Only a ity supplies, which are not yet reli- Saatchi and Saatchi, highlighted To promote Kosovo’s natural and even more culturally, architectural- handful of Kosovo-based operators able.” Kosovo’s youthfulness, showing var- ly and in rural tourism,” she said. cultural wealth to domestic tourists, were present. Air fares from London to ious attractive young people in pic- “I’ve been very surprised by the the Kosovo Tourism Association, Kuqi said figures released by the Prishtina appeared more expensive turesque parts of the country. KOTAS, and USAID, launched a warm welcome we had in all the Statistical Office of Kosovo showed than those to neighbouring capitals, While the campaign aimed to shift campaign last year encouraging places we visited but Kosovo needs the number of tourists was apart from Skopje, when Prishtina Kosovo’s overall image in a positive people to “Stay the Weekend, more professional tourism develop- “increasing from year to year” but Insight checked on a price compara- direction, Saatchi and Saatchi said it Experience Kosovo”. ments, such as publishing more the data was not precise enough to tor website. hoped the adverts would also attract A follow-up fair, held on brochures and maps of smaller, draw firm conclusions. No budget airlines cover Kosovo, tourists and direct foreign invest- Thursday, April 22, attracted 70 busi- rural places.” According to the Statistical Office though they serve a number of other ment. nesses, and Zeke Ceku, head of Ceku said the partnership had around 20,000 visitors came to countries in the region, including But not everyone believes the ads KOTAS, believes progress has been been “extremely successful and is made. showing significant growth com- Kosovo in the first six months of , Greece and . have enticed any new visitors. Ceku, The association has since estab- pared to last year.” But he com- 2009. By contrast, more than 90,000 That situation is set to change this from KOTAS, suggested that the lished the first company in Kosovo plains that the Ministry of Trade tourists visited neighbouring summer, however, when Easyjet impact had been limited and the and Industry is not doing enough to Macedonia in the first quarter of plans to start flights between money could have been better spent promote tourism in Kosovo. For its 2009 alone. Prishtina and Geneva and elsewhere. “There are many alterna- part, the ministry insists it has pro- With better infrastructure, Mulhouse, in , for as little as tives [to a PR campaign] which moted Kosovo at several interna- Kosovo would become much more 30 euro a flight. would have been more focused and tional fairs but has failed to reap attractive, Kuqi said. The ministry The Brothers Thaci, another used much less money,” he said. www.prishtinainsight.com great rewards yet. in the meantime plans to sign agree- agency handling domestic tourism, But government officials stick by “For 2010 we planned to present ments with neighbouring countries says the facilities are not yet good the campaign, saying the adverts promoting visits to Kosovo as part of enough for mainstream internation- had “shown the world who we are”. Publisher: Kosovo at three international tourism fairs, one in Turkey, one in a regional package. al tourists. “We’re interested … but According to Hajredin Kuci, the BIRN Berlin, while the last one was in Visar Kastrati, owner of the we don’t believe tourists will be Deputy Prime Minister, “We must Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Prishtina at the beginning of tourism agency Ilea Travel, says his interested in coming here in these give it time because we are still in April,” said Bujar Kuqi, director of attempts to promote Kosovo interna- conditions,” the agency owner, Elmi early stages of promoting our state.” Mensa e Studenteve, first floor 10000, Prishtina Kosovo BA Rejects Calls to ‘Remove’ Prishtina from Phone: +381 (0) 38 24 33 58 Fax: +381 (0) 38 22 44 98 [email protected] Serbia on Website tories. Editor-in-Chief: Grese Rexhepi, one of the cam- paigners, wrote to BA saying that Lawrence Marzouk By Lawrence Marzouk she was ‘slightly irritated by’ the [email protected] ‘mistake’ and called on the airline Editorial Team: to ‘rectify this error’. ritish Airways has rejected Ana Petruseva, Gordana Igric, But BA wrote that it would not calls from a 1,500-strong make any amendments until Jeta Xharra, Marcus Tanner, Bcampaign to remove Kosovo was recognised by the UN. Petrit Collaku and Shengjyl Osmani Prishtina from Serbia on its book- A BA employee, who gave her ing website. name only as Claire, wrote: “The Currently, fliers to Kosovo’s cap- and price quote bookings accord- and IATA, recognise Kosovo as a Marketing, Sales & Distribution: challenge we have on ba.com is ital are faced with the option of ingly. sovereign entity we will quickly that Kosovo, in spite of being [email protected] ‘Pristina, Serbia’ when booking a “Therefore, until we have a two- make the appropriate changes to recognised by many countries as a flight, despite the UK’s recognition letter country code, we can’t set up our website.” sovereign entity, has not been allo- of Kosovo’s independence. the tables in our systems that To secure a seat in the UN, Design & Layout: “Rrjeti” cated a two-letter country code by A Facebook campaign calling would enable us to remove Kosovo Kosovo needs the support of just the UN because it does not yet Y for BA to change its website has from Serbia. under 100 current members. Printing: Lindi Printing Center have official UN recognition. M attracted more than 1,500 mem- “I know that this news will dis- Kosovo is currently recognised by “Ba.com needs these country C Copyright © BIRN bers and a petition with 100 signa- appoint you. At this stage I can 66 countries, the latest coming K codes in order to be able to create only assure you that once the UN, from Swaziland last week. business April 23 - May 6, 2010 5

Kosovo Could Lose 50mil- Kosovo Failing to Meet Green lion euro Aid The European Commission Liaison Office Representative Kjartan Bjornsson has warned that Kosovo Energy Targets could lose 50million euro of aid because As production of lignite-powered electricity expands over the next few years, the proportion of clean power the country had so far failed to sign an agreement with the International generated in Kosovo is likely to shrink. Monetary Fund, IMF. Bjornsson told a meeting of the High Forum, which reviews commitments for donations to Kosovo, that the money cannot be allocated until the technical By Lavdim Hamidi in brief Business news agreement is signed with the IMF. But the Government of Kosovo said ust 6 per cent of energy produced in the cash was not at risk as Kosovo is Kosovo comes from green sources, meeting the IMF’s requirement, adding JPrishtina Insight can reveal, and the that it expects the agreement to be proportion of clean electricity is likely to signed soon. shrink as Kosovo presses ahead with the The IMF did not respond to Prishtina planned expansion of lignite power pro- Insight’s request for a comment. duction. The Kosovo-German company Wind Serbia to Invest up to Power is the first in the country to use wind to harvest electricity. It has three €300,000 in New Airline wind turbines atop Mount Golesh near Prishtina airport but they generate only Kosovo has just three wind turbines which produce 1.35 megawatts Miodrag Miljkovic, State Secretary 1.35 megawatt of electricity. The megawatt for Air Traffic in the Serbian Ministry objectives, which means reducing green- tric plant in Zhuri, near Prizren, which is is a measure of how much electrical ener- of Infrastructu re, said that the Serbian house gases by 20 per cent, increasing expected to produce around 300 megawatts gy is produced per second. government planned to invest $400,000 green energy production by 20 per cent and of energy by 2015. The energy ministry is The firm is awaiting approval from (about 296,000 euro) in a new airline improving energy efficiency by 20 per cent. also encouraging development of privately company which will be set up to replace other municipalities after which it will set All this must be achieved by 2020. funded “micro” hydroelectric plants. The up new sites. the country’s national carrier, Jat “According to European Union norms, at government recently issued a tender for 16 Airways. Manager Esad Sadrija admits wind ener- least 20 per cent of our energy production concessions for these small plants. In an interview with the Tanjug news gy is very much a nascent industry in should be clean energy,” says Shllaku, But even if they all go ahead, they can agency, Miljkovic said that according to Kosovo but says it will become increasing- “while currently the level is almost zero.” contribute only a fraction of Kosovo’s the law on air traffic, any airline that ly important in years to come, just as it is Haki Abazi, director for the Rockefeller green energy targets. As for the plant in wants to engage in regular traffic must elsewhere. Brothers Fund’s Western Balkans Zhuri, Shllaku notes that this project is have $400,000 (about 296,000 euro) in its According to the Kosovo Energy Programme, who attended last year’s also too small to make much of a differ- account for purposes of regular traffic. Corporation, KEK, just 45 megawatts of Climate Change conference in ence, especially given plans to expand lig- He added that $200,000 (about 146,000 renewable energy is produced in the coun- Copenhagen, said that Kosovo should use nite power production over the same peri- euro) is necessary for charter traffic. try, mainly from hydroelectricity. international sources of funds to develop od. The Serbian government decided in a This is a fraction of the 700 megawatts green energy and prepare itself to partici- After 2015, the Kosova e Re, or New telephone meeting on Friday to set up a produced by the aging, lignite-powered pate in carbon trade schemes. Kosovo, power station should be producing new national airline to replace Jat power stations, Kosovo A and B, located on He told Prishtina Insight: “Developed 1,000 megawatts on top of at least 500 Airways. The new company would be the outskirts of Prishtina. countries have been committed to support megawatts from Kosovo B, which by then founded with a minimal monetary The biggest hydroelectric plant, annually developing countries with $100 will have been upgraded. deposit and would take over from Jat Gazivoda, is in the Serb-controlled north, billion. Shllaku added that Kosovo’s wind ener- any resources that would be of interest over which Prishtina has little control, and “Even though vague and ill defined, this gy potential was something of an to potential private investors. its 35MW capacity is rarely used. presents a great opportunity for Kosovo in unknown, as wind maps plotting appropri- According to the company’s statement, Luan Shllaku, an environmental expert order to have modern facilities for carbon ate sites in the country have yet to be draft- the new company will be free of debts. and executive director of the Kosovo Open capture and storage, to develop its capacity ed. The national carrier ended 2009 with Society Foundation, says greater develop- to explore renewable sources, it also repre- Solar energy is another relatively unex- debt amounting to 25 million euro ment of alternative energy is not just sents an opportunity to support costs for plored area in Kosovo. As yet, only a hand- while accumulated losses from the 1990s desirable but necessary if Kosovo is to join retrofits and change of technology mainly ful of sites, including Pristhina Health the European Union. to regulate transportation and introduce Centre and the university campus, make amounting to about 146 million. The Under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol, cars that do not use fossil fuels.” use of the sun’s rays to provide electricity company employs 1,200 people; it owns Kosovo needs to meet the so-called 20-20-20 Kosovo does plan to develop a hydroelec- and heating. 12 aircraft, which are more than 20 years old, and uses three leased aircraft.

Albania Assigned Poor Transport Minister Limaj Credit Rating by S&P

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Calls for Better Road Quality assigned on Thursday a ‘B+’ long-term sovereign foreign and local gramme which has won him praise for currency credit ratings, in the wake of improving the country’s poor infrastruc- recent decision to issue Eurobonds. ture but also led to criticism about cor- At the same time, S&P assigned a ‘B’ By Lawrence Marzouk ruption and the poor quality of some of short-term foreign and local currency the work. rating with a stable outlook. A transfer Prishtina Insight’s investigation, pub- and convertibility assessment of ‘BB-’ osovo’s Minister of Transport lished in the last edition, revealed that was also assigned. Fatmir Limaj has called on road three multimillion euro road tenders “The ratings on Albania are con- Kbuilders to improve the quality were awarded to friends or relatives of strained by our view of the country’s of, and commitment to, their work. the minister. relatively low prosperity, high govern- The comments were made to the Limaj has not commented on potential ment debt as a percentage of govern- Association of Road Builders last week, conflicts of interest, but his advisor ment revenues, growing external vul- following the signing of the 700 million Endrit said that the tender process- nerabilities due to persistently high cur- deal to build Kosovo’s first highway, es had been carried out properly and that rent account deficits, and an uncertain which will link the Albanian and Serbian the minister had played no part in the political environment,” said Standard & borders. decisions. But the research also found Poor’s credit analyst Marko Mrsnik in a The statement also follows a Prishtina that in two out of the three tenders, key statement. Insight investigation into road building in Fatmir Limaj documents appeared not to have been sub- “On the other hand, the ratings are Kosovo. mitted by the winning firms. Not supply- supported by the economy’s solid Limaj said: “I assure you that you will “You know that we are criticised by ing the necessary documentation usually growth performance and our view of its continue to have my support and I will everyone over why we have invested so leads to disqualification of a bid. strong long-term potential, a legal continue to protect your interests, but in much in roads. We do not intend to stop.” The ministry has failed to provide an framework that explicitly prioritises Y the meantime you must continue to Since taking over the position of trans- explanation of how the firms secured the debt-service payments, and long-term M improve the quality and commitment to port minister in late 2007, Limaj has tenders despite the missing documenta- prospects for further EU integration,” C your work. embarked on a huge road building pro- tion. he added. K 6 April 23 - May 6, 2010 city Pacolli Builds Mansion Nassim Outside Prishtina Benali AUK student from Behgjet Isa Pacolli was born in 1951 in present day Kosovo. By Lawrence Marzouk He is the president and CEO of Mabetex Group, a Swiss-based construc- and Belinda Vrapi tion and civil-engineering company. Pacolli is also president of the third biggest political party in Kosovo, the olitician Behgjet Pacolli, New Kosovo Alliance. one of Kosovo’s richest He is believed, by some, to be the world’s richest ethnic Albanian. Pmen, is constructing a Mabetex was given several important contracts in Russia in the 90s to walled mansion in the outskirts reconstruct, renovate and refurbish the former Russian Federation of Prishtina. Parliament, the Russian Opera House, State Duma and the Moscow

Pacolli, who leads the opposi- of: the Eyes through Prishtina tion New Kosovo Alliance, is the Kremlin. latest in a series of top officials Mabetex is currently working in Kazakhstan, where it has played an and politicians to be building a important role in the construction of the new capital Astana. One of the home in the Hajvali and completed projects was the new Presidential Palace. Veternik area of Prishtina. This district, to the south of He explained that he had used ing permit as soon as he started whether he had obtained the the city and near Gracanica, is family funds and a loan from a constructing the house, but necessary permits. relatively rural and is not part commercial bank, adding that after six months he had Spokesman Arber Geci said of Prishtina’s urban plan, limit- planning permission had been received a rejection from the that Mr Pacolli was out of the ing development. received from Prishtina municipality. country, adding: “ I do not have Prime Minister Hashim Tachi Municipality. Pacolli’s large villa is sur- permission to answer in Mr was criticised earlier this year The head of customs, Naim rounded by a two metre high Pacolli’s name for his personal when it emerged he was build- Huruglica, and deputy prime wall. It is being built by his con- issues, such as his house, but ing a mansion in Veternik. minister Rame Manja, of the struction company Mabetex, from what I am aware of per- Critics questioned how he Democratic League of Kosovo, which has been involved in a sonally, I think he does have had obtained the necessary have also been criticised in number of high profile con- permission.” building permits and the funds recent weeks for building in the tracts in the former Soviet Officials from Prishtina What surprised you most for the new home, although the area. Union and Kosovo. Municipality did not return about Prishtina? prime minister rejected the Huruglica told Koha Ditore Prishtina Insight contacted this newspaper’s calls and attacks. that he had applied for a build- Mr Pacolli’s spokesman to ask emails. The mixture of tradition and modernity in the people, as well as the city itself in terms of architec- Roma Boxing Club Aims to End ture and other surroundings. What’s your favourite hang- out?

the Fighting Germia is my favorite place for fun and relaxation. Amelie cafe is In a torn tent in Gracanica, a boxing match was held last Saturday by the Kosovo Boxing Federation to mark my favorite place to sit and Roma International Day and kick start reconciliation between communities socialise with friends while hav- ing good food and drinks.

Do you do anything cultural?

By Petrit Collaku I enjoy teaching French to stu- dents and my local friends, I go to the movies and theatre, and I find he president of the great pleasure travelling around Kosovo Boxing Federation and discovering the country and Tsaid that sports would its people. lead to way to reconciliation between communites. What is the most annoying The remarks came as seven thing about Prishtina? boxing clubs from Kosovo par- ticipated in an event marking The smoke, including that of International Roma Day and the cigarettes, vehicles and industries. creation of a new Roma boxing club in Gracanica. If you were mayor of “What politics fails to do can Prishtina for the day what maybe be achieved faster with would you change? sports, and it will relax our inter-ethnic relations in I would enforce the law that pro- Kosovo,” said KBF president hibits smoking in public areas. Ramadan Selimi. The new, Gracanica-based How many macchiatos do you boxing club Real Rom has now drink a day? registered with the KBF, and its president Jevta Aksic said that None. I am not a coffee drinker.

Photo by Petrit Collaku Petrit by Photo Instead, I like chocolate and fruit the Roma community will give One of the bouts at the boxing event in Gracanica on Saturday its best to integrate. drinks. “This way, we can draw atten- this way we can inspire young because of the high adrenaline ties and chances to take part in tion away from politics and deal people in Gracanica to take part spectacle, but because there sports because there are a lot of What’s the tastiest Kosovar with simpler issues,” he told in sports,” he said. were no seats. young people here in food? Prishtina Insight. “The motto of Seven matches were held in “The people of Kosovo have Gracanica,” Zekolli said. this event is ‘with sport, recon- the ring, erected inside a foot- always been sport admirers,” Aksic said that the new Pite and Pitalka bread. I also ciliation for all communities liv- ball hall with a few strips of the Ferid Zekolli, a ‘sport integra- Gracanica municipality, recent- like Ajvar when I want to have a ing in Kosovo’.” cover still hanging over the tion official’ at the Ministry of ly created as part of Kosovo’s snack. A former boxer and candidate metal skeleton. The fights were Culture told Prishtina Insight. decentralisation process, helped at the last local elections, Aksic adjudicated by three profession- He added that the Roma commu- to organise the event. What landmark do you use to Y said he hoped young people al umpires and two judges. nity is also preparing teams in He added that with some tell taxi drivers where you live? M would embrace the club. The one hundred spectators of football, basketball and kick- understanding between all par- C “I am grateful to Kosovo clubs different ages stood throughout boxing. ties and communities, sports Hotel Ambassador. K for being here today because the matches, although not “They should have opportuni- can thrive in Gracanica. feature April 23 - May 6, 2010 7 Kosovo Women Sacrifice Inheritance Rights for Tradition

Although the law guarantees women a share of their family inheritance, most forgo that right, in deference to the centuries-old Code of Leke Dukagjini.

By Mevlyde Salihu

azir Sopa may not have attended a single day of Hschool but at 80 he enjoys the respect accorded to a village elder. He helps solve family dis- putes in his village of Bukosh, near Suhareke, in southeast Kosovo, when people can’t agree on how to divide family property or settle separations and divorces. Tradition still plays a signifi- cant role in Kosovo, and one tradi- tion that’s alive and well is that women give up their right to inherit, even though it is guaran- teed by law, deferring to the cus- tom that family property should go to men. These patriarchal customs date back to the medieval Code of Lekë Dukagjini, observed by Albanian Ghegs in northern Albania and Kosovo, which has regulated life for centuries and set rules and norms as well as punishments for those not abiding by it. The division of inheritance is among the rules that have sur- vived till today. According to arti- cle 36, women are not entitled to Women often forgo inheritance despite their legal right to it inherit. Line 88 of the chapter on inheritance reads: “The code Kosovo in the meantime has her brother inherits the family to ask for your share but in social when asked by the judge or her recognises the boy as the heir and adopted laws confirming the equal home, his wife will become the terms, it’s a disgrace to do so, aide. Kelmendi says that in more not the girl.” inheritance rights of women and “woman of the house”. you’d be considered shameless,” than half of cases processed in Line 91 specifies: “The woman men. Article 3.1 of the 2004 Law on Leonora Selmani, from the she says. “‘How could you do this court, women give up their share. does not take part in the inheri- Inheritance reads: “All persons Agency for Gender Equality, says to your brother?’ they would say,” “In some cases they give up tance of her parents or husband.” under the same conditions are cultural and traditional norms, she adds. their share in favour of a mother However, Sopa says the interpre- equal in inheritance.” poverty and insufficient level of Nina and F.L say they would or sister, but in most cases it’s in tation of the code has changed “Kosovo has very good laws, but education, are all obstacles to the only demand a share if they were favour of the brothers,” she says. over centuries. “Women can ask they are totally inapplicable,” achievement of gender equality. in dire circumstances. “I would Research carried out in 20 for their share if they want, and it Gusia adds. “Equality is a distant “Women are in a particularly dis- only ask for it if I didn’t have any- municipal courts by NORMA, a will be given to them,” he said. concept for our society: in essence, advantageous position when it where to sleep,” Nina says. lawyers’ association, shows that of “According to traditional law, two we live in a patriarchal society.” comes to property rights and actu- Judge Remzije Brovina’s inheri- 725 competed cases in Prishtina in women get the share that one man Nina L, who is in her early thir- al owning of property,” Selmani tance office is packed with people. 2007, women used their right to is entitled to. So if the son gets ten ties, is divorced and lives with her notes. She explains the proceedings and inheritance in 232. In 92 cases, acres, two daughters together can family. “An uncertain future await- She believes education would the steps people need to take to women and men were equal inher- get ten, and then divide it into ed me when I contemplated greatly increase women’s aware- complete the procedure. itors. equal halves.” divorce,” Nina recalls. She quit ness of their rights. “Further As they leave, another group “This is a pretty low number,” But Sopa warns that if they do her job to move abroad with her emancipation of women would pushes its way through. Judge Salihu, NORMA director, demand their share, they must ex-husband but soon realised he influence changes, increasing Brovina doesn’t take breaks says. Many educated women aban- give up the right to pay long visits was not right for her. their capacities to ask for what is between sessions. “You see,” she don their right to inherit because to their parents’ or brothers’ hous- “It took me a month to realise I theirs,” she says. says, “one judge for inheritance they fears relations with their es and can only visit as guests. wanted a divorce, but eight to do it. Many women don’t know the issues – among a million inhabi- brothers or other relatives will suf- Sopa doesn’t base his rulings on If I’d had something of my own, I law guarantees their inheritance tants.” fer, she adds. written documents; he learned his would have taken that decision a rights and doubt they can draw Bademe Kelmendi, a profession- “We are very connected to our craft from his father and brother, lot sooner,” she says. any benefit from it, Selmani says. al clerk and an expert on inheri- families and women’s ties with both elders whose repute spread On her return, Nina moved back “As a result, many women don’t tance issues at Prishtina their brothers are special,” says far beyond the village of their into the family home and began have the assets to get bank loans, Municipal Court, helps Brovina. Gusia. “But, this is a matter of birth. Sopa says he was not inter- rebuilding her life, but her only and so are deprived of the possibil- She says that every person who asking for what is theirs, not their ested in keeping the family tradi- possession of value is her Renault ity of acting independently from attends a court session is properly brothers,” she says. tion going, but people insisted. Clio. “I have a little wealth of my men,” she adds. informed of his or her rights. “If 20 women from Prishtina “They come to me because own, my job and my car, and I plan F.L, a teacher in her late forties “If there are seven children, I simultaneously raised their voices courts take too much time,” he to solve the housing issue later who asked not to be named, saved make sure they understand that and said: ‘We’ll take it, because it explains. on,” she says. money for years to buy her own they each have the right to one-sev- belongs to us,’ people would slowly Despite its age, the code is still If she can start earning enough flat, knowing that the family prop- enth of the property,” she start thinking of it as a normal used throughout Kosovo, although to lead a decent life, she won’t erty would all go to her brothers. explains. “Then it’s up to each one thing,” Gusia adds. in big cities, such as Prishtina, its accept her share of her inheri- “I think if they [the men] had to declare if they’ll have it, or give The main problem, Nina influence on social norms is weak- tance, even if her family offers it: more they might have given me a it up. believes, is that men and women ening. “I don’t know how the division of share, but as it is, my sister and I “I don’t know what happens at are treated differently from child- “Most women in Kosovo today family property will go because we didn’t inherit anything,” she says. home,” Kelmendi adds, “but in the hood. “This is where the problem do not enjoy their right to inheri- haven’t come to that, but what irri- Even then, she adds, she would courtroom, the law is fully respect- starts,” she says. “Girls are pres- tance, and this goes back to the tates me is that I’ve contributed probably have hesitated before ed. Based on my experience, sured to get married, while boys Dukagjini Code,” Linda Gusia, a morally and financially, yet, when accepting because of tradition. women are aware of their rights get used to the idea that they own Y Prishtina-based sociologist, says. my brother marries, I might have Women have to choose between deriving from law.” everything,” she says. “No wonder M “The law of tradition is stronger to live by a stranger’s rules.” emotional or material capital, Yet, most women still declare I felt a guest in my own home, and C than the actual law.” She is referring to the fact that if Gusia notes. “The law enables you that they don’t want their share a guest at my ex-husbands.” K 8 April 23 - May 6, 2010 Culture Prishtina’s ‘Forgotten’ Cemetery

ost foreigners who have from the Serbian leadership. “I known to Albanians as Cameria. spent time in Kosovo have had it tough during Rankovic’s Iljaz, who was educated and By Werner Bartels Mmade a pilgrimage to the time,” he said referring to started his political career in tomb of Kosovo’s former presi- Yugoslavia’s Interior Minister in Istanbul, was elected as represen- dent, Ibrahim Rugova, and visited the 1950s, notorious for his tough tative of the Ferizaj region to the Prishtina’s old Jewish cemetery. stance towards Albanians. “They Yugoslav parliament in 1938. As Few have taken a stroll through didn’t treat us teachers from prefect of Prishtina a little later the Muslim cemetery, even though Albania correctly. The Serb during the Second World War, he The city’s little known Muslim ceme- this large, fascinating graveyard secret service was always suspi- arranged the unification of is situated above the Dardania cious of us.” Kosovo with Albania, then ruled tery is like an open book, revealing district where most embassies The grave of the Kosovar patri- by Mussolini’s . and many international organisa- ot, Nazim Gafurri, who exposed Thanks to his experience in much about the city’s rich but often tions are based and where many Serbia’s barbarous treatment of administration, he was made foreigners live. Albanians in the early 1920s and Minister of Public Affairs and tragic and bloodstained history. Each time I’ve taken the few was assassinated by the Serbian later Deputy Prime Minister in steps uphill from Rruga Ismail police commander of Prishtina the government of Mustafa Qemali, my temporary home, to on May 6, 1928, is covered with a Kruja. Thus, from January until the Muslim cemetery, I’ve made black marble slab with an September 1943, he was the sec- new and interesting discoveries, inscription reading: “This monu- ond most important man in the leading me to reflect on the past ment was erected by the people, Albanian government after and the present of this country 1997.” Prime Minister Kruja. The and prompting me to open a few The same text – without the last Albanian communists killed him. pages of Kosovo’s rich culture line from the year 1997 – can be Agushi’s original tombstone and tragic history. found on Gafurri’s original grave- from the year of his death, which The first sight near the stone opposite the tomb. The like Nazim Gafurri’s original entrance of the cemetery, to the inscription on this round, pillar- gravestone is pillar-shaped, car- right of Vushtrria street, is a shaped stone is a set of old-fash- ries a Turkish text in Arabic white marble semi-circle on ioned Turkish verses in Arabic script – even though use of the which are written the names of script. The original rhyming Arab script for the Turkish lan- three prominent victims of the verses abound with Arabic and guage had been banned in Turkey Serbs in early 1999. Serb police Persian words, most of which years before Agushi’s death. A abducted Bajram Kelmendi, a might became obsolete after street in central Prishtina, leading lawyer, and his sons Kemal Ataturk’s Turkish lan- between Ilir Konushevci and Kushtrim and Kastriot, from guage reforms, as did the Arabic Nazim Gafurri streets, bears his their home on March 25, 1999. script, which was replaced by the name. Their corpses were found some- Latin alphabet in the 1920s. One Next to the entrance to the where between Prishtina and of Prishtina’s main streets, lead- cemetery’s northern section, Fushe Kosova the next day. ing from the centre past the old- you’ll find the graves of Sofë Bajran’s widow, Nekibe, was until est mosques, the Clock Tower and Rugova (1923 to 1996) and Ukë recently the Justice Minister of Sami Frasheri School to Rrustë Rugova (1918 to 1945), par- Kosovo. Taukbahce district, is named ents of the former president. Just behind the Kelmendis’ after Gafurri. However, Ibrahim’s father was grave one can see two black mar- Another famous Albanian not laid to rest here. Along with ble tombstones with the engraved patriot from the first half of the the president’s grandfather, portraits of Mehmet and Myrvete century is buried a bit further Rrustë, the Communist partisans Gjevori, well-known personalities away. Iljaz Haxhi Agushi was accused them of being Nazi col- in the field of education. born in Prishtina on 14 April 1903 laborators and executed them at Mehmet, who came from Albania and killed in Tirana on 27 the end of the Second World War. in the early Forties, when illitera- October 1943. The tombstone of That is why the slab of Ukë’s cy among adults was still wide- this “apostle of ethnic Albania”, tomb carries the remark ‘I spread, authored Kosovo’s first as he is called on his epitaph, zhdukur’, “missed” (missing?) in primer. His gravestone depicts shows the contours of Greater English. him with the “abetare”, his chil- Albania, including Albania, One of Kosovo’s most famous dren’s language book, in his Kosovo, northwest Macedonia, graves can be seen three steps fur- hand. parts of southern Serbia, the ther. On February 10, 2007, two Gjevori’s efforts to eliminate region around the port of young men, Arben Xheladini, and illiteracy among the Albanians Ulqin/Ulcinj in Montenegro and Mon Balaj, were killed by did not meet with enthusiasm the region of northern Greece Rumanian UNMIK policemen EC Project Addresses Justice Sector in Kosovo lic access, gaining confidence in Besides the residential, com- departments. The area is to be ments in terms of the functionali- the justice sector, reducing the mercial and sport elements of the located some four kilometres from ty required for a modern justice backlog of cases and increasing complex, the Palace of Justice will the centre of Prishtina. compound. It is to be composed of By Petrit Collaku independence. in the future accommodate the re- The Palace of Justice compound five peripheral buildings and “We have pledged 25 million for location of the parliament, key will cover an area of 27,000 square approximately 625 employees are the realisation of this project. This ministries and other government metres and it has all the require- expected to work there. confirms the commitment of the he European Commission EU to ensure better standards and Liaison Office in Kosovo, performances in the area of jus- TECLO, presented on Monday tice so that Kosovo citizens get bet- the plan for the construction of a ter services,” Kjartan Björnsson, new building for the Kosovo jus- head of operations of the ECLO, tice system. The complex will be told journalists. called the Palace of Justice. Kosovo Minister of Justice Haki As Kosovo’s justice system is Demolli said that improving work- suffering from a lack of physical ing conditions for the justice sys- space, this project is expected to tem in Kosovo will help to increase secure adequate space and thus Y the level of accountability, profes- help improve judicial services. M sionalism, and transparency of The project will also have other the work of judges and prosecu- C effects, including supporting pub- K tors. 9 Culture April 23 - May 6, 2010 during a demonstration on barbaric project. Mother Teresa Boulevard, in the Professor Fehmi Agani, a heart of Prishtina. The two have philosopher and sociologist, was since become heros to those one a close associate to Ibrahim Kosovars who take a critical Rugova in the 1990s. On May 6, stance towards the international 1999, during the Kosovo war, institutions that play such a deci- Serbian soldiers abducted him sive role in the political life of the from his house in Prishtina’s country. Many of those who think Dragodan district, and executed that Kosovars alone, not foreign- him. As with Nazim Gafurri and ers, should decide Kosovo’s fate Bajram Kelmendi, there was no sympathise with the Vetëvendosje motive for the killing beyond the (Self-determination) movement, fact that he belonged to the which led the 2007 demonstra- Albanian race. Agani had taken tions. Only Xheladini’s grave is part in the Rambouillet confer- here in Prishtina, however. Mon ence from February to March Balaj is buried in his hometown of 1999, just before the war broke out Podujeva. in Kosovo war. That, as well as the In the cemetery’s western sec- fact that in comparison to Rugova tion, on the left side of Vushtrria he was less well known interna- Street, lie the graves of more tionally, also made him a suitable prominent Kosovars. One is target. A bronze statue of the pro- Mahmut Bakalli (1936 to 2006), fessor dressed in his coat, walking whose large white marble tomb is forward pensively, has been erect- situated right behind the fence at ed in the centre of Prishtina near the roadside. In Tito’s time, the Philosophy Faculty of Bakalli was a leading cadre in the Prishtina University. His tomb is League of Communists. After covered with a black marble stone Tito’s death in 1980, and especial- carrying only his name, the dates The monuments commemorates three prominent victims of the Serbs in early 1999. ly after the Kosovo police brutally “1932 – 1999” and a simple wavy have found their final resting Professor Agani’s tomb, the Prishtina’s Muslim Cemetery is suppressed demonstrators calling line. place in Prishtina’s Muslim Romani words are written in an open book, which tells the visi- for a Republic of Kosovo within Behind Professor Agani’s tomb Cemetery are unknown to the gen- Cyrillic letters, which is quite tor a lot about the city’s and the Yugoslavia, Bakalli fell out with lies that of his brother, Hilmi, eral public. uncommon, because the Romani country’s history, culture and the League of Communists. In his 1927 to 1994, professor of Albanian Interestingly, there is no segre- language generally uses the Latin society. last years, he was a member of language and literature at gation according to ethnic groups. alphabet. Looking at the various inscrip- the Kosovo parliament and advis- Prishtina University. Albanians, Bosniaks (Muslim Many tombs show portraits of tions in five languages (Albanian, er to the then prime minister, Two other well-known inhabi- Slavs), Roma and Turks lie next to the deceased engraved into the Serbo-Croat, Romani, Turkish, Agim Çeku. tants of the western section are each other in close proximity. black marble. We often find the Arabic) and three alphabets Not far from the end of the Gazmend Zajmi (1936 to 1995), pos- Consequently, the tombstones Islamic symbol – the crescent and (Latin, Cyrillic, Arab), one cannot western section, visible from the sibly Kosovo’s most famous com- carry inscriptions in various lan- star – although the Albanian dou- help wondering whether people of roadside, is the grave of Azem poser, and the painter Muslim guages, plus here and there a ble-headed eagle is equally fre- different origins and mother Shkreli (1938 to 1997), a famous Mulliqi (1934 to 1998). Their photo- Koranic quote in Arabic. quent. tongues can only co-exist peace- Kosovar poet and writer. graphs, like those of Azem As for the Roma graves, it is not A few graves are decorated with fully after they have died. Esat Mekuli (1916 to 1993), Shkreli, Esat Mekuli and Ibrahim unusual for one tombstone to be in the bust of the deceased, while Wouldn’t it be better to get along another well-known poet, is Rugova, can be found among the Albanian or Serbo-Croat, and for a some the illustrations on some well during one’s lifetime? As the buried at the western end of the portraits of prominent Kosovar neighbouring grave belonging to a tombstones indicate the profes- German poet, singer, songwriter section. His grave, like Shkreli’s, writers, actors, painters and musi- member of the same family, to sion of the person resting under- and essayist Wolf Biermann, puts carries only the name of the cians on Mother Teresa contain a Romani inscription. In neath. The stone of Sali Ibrahimi, it: “How close some of the dead deceased and the years of his Boulevard. one case, on the grave of Sedat obviously a Rom, sports his por- ones are to us And how dead some birth and death. Mekuli’s best- The vast majority of those who Demiri (1967 to 1985), not far from trait plus a pack of cards. of those who live.” known poem is arguably A është fajtor Shqiptari (Is the Albanian guilty? See box). It was written in A ËSHTË FAJTOR SHQIPTARI IS THE ALBANIAN GUILTY 1938, after the author heard about the notorious memorandum A është fajtor shqiptari pse në këtë qiell jeton, Is the Albanian guilty of living under this sky, Iseljavanje Arnauta (Evacuation nën këtë qiell në trojet e të parëve të vet? under this sky on the grounds of his ancestors? of the Albanians), by Vasa A është fajtor pse është Is he guilty of being Cubrilovic, which called for the e përkundër të gjithëve qëndron shqiptari, and in spite of everything remaining Albanian, expulsion of the entire Albanian rob e njeri, që do i vetvetës të jetë? a man, a human being, who wants to belong to himself ? population from Kosovo. The poem must have come to the mind A është fajtor shqiptari, pse si të tjerët don Is the Albanian guilty, because – like all the others – he wants of many Kosovars at the end of të jetojë si njeri në të vetat sot e përditë? to live like a human being on his own ground, today and forever? the 1990s, when Serbia’s then A është fajtor pse – përkundër dhunës – rron e qëndron Is he guilty, because – in spite of violence – he stays and remains ruler, Slobodan Milosevic, revived nën qiellin e Kosovës loke, në truallin e të parëve të vet? under the sky of Mother Kosova, on the ground of his forefathers? and tried to execute Cubrilovic’s KFOR to Transfer Border Security to Police responsibility for the Macedonian It has also emerged that three opened in the near future. Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir border in late March. new border crossings between The news emerged during a Meta and his Kosovo counterpart He added that there were no Albania and Kosovo will be meeting in Tirana between Skender Hyseni. By Lawrence Marzouk plans yet to hand over control to Kosovo Police for policing the bor- der with Montenegro and Serbia. FOR has confirmed that it “Things are going forward and intends to hand over con- the transfer of competencies is a Ktrol of the Kosovo’s border good indicator of the improve- with Albania to Kosovo Police. ment of the security situation in General Markus Bentler, KFOR Kosovo and I think that they were commander, told a press confer- ready to accept new duties and ence that the transfer will take this is very positive,” Commander place on April 28, according to Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Joint Prishtina daily Koha Ditore. Forces Command Naples, said at “I think the transfer of compe- the press conference. tencies on the border with On March 31, KFOR handed Albania will happen on April 28,” over the lead for Macedonian bor- Y General Bentler is reported to der patrols to Kosovo police, M have said. although the responsibility is still C The move follows the transfer of shared with the NATO force. A joint patrol of the Macedonia-Kosovo border by KFOR and Kosovo Police K 10 April 23 - May 6, 2010 Guide - Food & Drink Cantina AM-PM: Stylish Mexican in a Refined Setting

Lunchtimes are buzzing, but evenings are distinctively hushed, and quite appealing. I By Maneater opted for the latter, and headed to the venue around 8 pm with a group of friends. As anticipated, only another two tables enus seldom change in Prishtina, were occupied, and a melodic jazz tune and a recent halt in the opening of seductively played in the background. Mnew restaurants has made my job a The menu is one of the components that tinge more difficult. have completely changed, now consisting of Nevertheless, a third variant always a mere dozen options, simply printed on a exists to spice up the city’s culinary scene: single page. a change of ownership. Although the majority of options are Cantina AM-PM, formerly known as Mexican-influenced, Cesar salad and pizza Mexican Cantina, recently went through a have been included, even though they take Catina’s buzzing outdoor eating area transfer to new management, and although away from the theme. hardly noticeable from a distance, the new Our group ordered a combination of the The chicken Cesar salad consisted of the can also be expected with the chimichangas. owners have transformed the venue into a following dishes – beef quesadillas, usual lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, The only dessert option available that more grown-up affair. Mexican chicken nuggets, chicken Cesar with strips of savoury chicken. night was chocolate mousse, served with The interior is slightly smaller than that salad, chicken burrito and chicken Meanwhile, the chicken burrito and maraschino cherries and chocolate syrup. of neighbouring Qamil Hoxha eateries, chimichangas. chicken chimichangas both incorporated The mousse was outstanding, and after such as People’s or Lips. Each option is priced at less than 5 euro, what seemed to be an identical filling of three servings we agreed that it was a per- After bypassing its extra-large front ter- and arrived within 15 minutes of placing chicken, white rice, onion, and red and fectly refreshing closing to our Mexican race, with chairs interestingly adorned our order. green pepper. meal. with plush blankets, you can expect to meet Fortunately, each dish was plated differ- Don’t get me wrong, the filling was quite Although not staggeringly authentic, we a handful of smartly dressed waiters at the ently and garnished with a distinctive side, tasty, with marinated Mexican flavours and enjoyed the well-plated, good value dishes bar, and less than a dozen tables available providing an attractive spread for our table. a touch of spicy delight, but not distinctive and fresh ingredients, which kept every for dining. The beef quesadillas consisted of sea- enough to warrant two separate orders. dish from being too overpowering. Nothing screams Mexican from the décor, soned ground beef and melted cheese If you fancy a softer tortilla, as opposed to unlike other Mexican eateries in town pressed between two warm tortillas, which a thicker pan-friend tortilla, and nacho Cantina AM-PM which attempt to mimic a fiesta experience were decently flavoured. chips as oppose to a serving of salad, go for Rr. Qamil Hoxha with tacky souvenirs and cheesy music. The nuggets were also good due to their the burrito. 049 710 710 Instead, Cantina AM-PM presents a more interesting cornmeal-based coating, spiced The latter, along with a double portion urban feel, with brick-exposed walls, vent- up with an accompanying salsa dip. and a serving of a sour cream-like sauce, exposed ceilings, low lighting and poster art. Warm tones of red and dark wood fur- niture balance off the industrial-like details. Yes We Cantina Immanuel Cantina Can’t Complain Student Cantina Can’t in a Million Years Incantinence GetGet thethe PaintballPaintball RollingRolling The outskirts of Prishtina offer two excellent spots to use your friends as target practice

relax at the venue’s outdoor bar afterwards. The costs are 7euro per player, including 100 balls, or 10euro for 200 balls. Refills are By Lawrence Marzouk available at a slightly cheaper rate. The Novo Brdo offering is much smaller in scale but has the advantage of being set in beautiful surroundings. aintballing in Kosovo is a great week- It is part of the NGO Care’s programme end escapade, if you can handle the for attracting tourists to this picturesque Ppost-game bruises and aches from spot of Kosovo. The arena is set in a small Rambo style rampages. farm and, reassuringly, directed by the The game can be played in Kroi I Mbretit, head of the local hunting association, just off the main Prishtina-Peja highway Nasmiu. Up to ten people can play and the after the airport turnoff, or in Novo Brdo. cost is five euros for the gun and 100 paint- Both venues won’t take more than balls. While you are there, you can pop into 30mins to reach and offer a pleasant envi- the famous castle or grab some food and ronment in which to splatter your friends drink with the owners of the farm, the with paint. Bunjaku family. Mr Bali’s Paintball Game, in Kroi I Mbretit, is the largest and best known Essential information: paintball centre in Kosovo, and provides a range of battlefields and ten scenarios to Novo Brdo keep you busy. These include a Western- themed field, complete with wooden, cut- Address: Bunjac, near Novo Brdo out ‘sheriff ’s house’ and ‘mortuary’, and a Contact: Touristic Information speed trial with disused buses dotted Center, Village Bostane, around. The equipment is well maintained, Novo Brdo, +377 44 465 471, protective gear is provided and you can www.tourism-novobrdo.com Y M Address: Off the main Prishtina-Peja road, after the airport on the left-hand side, if you are coming from Prishtina. C Contact: +377 44 505 409, 044 263 020 and +386 49 505 409, [email protected] www.paintball-kosovo.com K Paintball Game, Mr Bali By Shega A’Mula 11 in Prishtina Inside Prishtina April 23 - May 6, 2010

Building Review: The Independence House of Dr Ibrahim Rugova lthough the sacrifices of many office space for the Kosovo Writers’ as its head of state. eventually led to the inde- Union. During the nineties, a complete Apendence of this country, In 1988, Rugova, then already an parallel system of governance was Kosovo’s first president, Ibrahim esteemed writer and intellectual, born in this building. As LDK Rugova, will forever be considered by became the director of the union, membership rose to include almost many as the forerunner of this cause. which acted as a stepping stone for every ethnic Albanian resident of To commemorate the end of conflict his political career. Kosovo, international collabora- One of the rooms in The Independence House in Kosovo, Rugova transformed his When Yugoslav President tors and the media began to seek former office into a site of remem- Milosevic revoked Kosovo’s auto- meetings with the political figures a string of institutions, the house known to have occupied this land brance in 2002, naming it The nomic powers in 1989, Rugova and at the home, only further broaden- was converted into a museum. millennia ago, and a large chrono- Independence House. fellow colleagues established the ing its importance. But after Rugova’s death in 2007, logical display of photos telling the “This house was a house for all Democratic League of Kosovo Today, a stroll through the memo- the building was renamed to story of independence, from the institutions of the Republic of political party, LDK, a movement rial site can baffle any visitor, due include his name, and remodeled to Albania’s 1912 declaration of inde- Kosovo, of civil society, and all which would fight the new oppres- to its limited space. emphasize his role in the road to pendence, leading to the end of the political party groups,” announced sive policies being applied in the It is hard to believe that Rugova’s Kosovo’s independence. conflict in 1999. Rugova at the inauguration of the former province. passive movement for Kosovo’s The museum is a series of two The museum staff are thorough- museum. The writers’ union house was independence could have been rooms, one of which is an embel- ly well informed on every piece dis- “It was a home for the people of now transformed into the LDK achieved in a home so small. lished version of Rugova’s former played within the museum, and can Kosovo, in order for thousands of headquarters, becoming the nucle- The home avoided damaged dur- office, with a copy of a hand-writ- offer an extensive amount of histor- Albanians to overcome and fulfil us of Kosovar-Albanian political ing the conflict of 1999, but was lit ten speech he wrote. ical background, not only for the their everyday needs and to partic- activity. up in flames the day NATO troops The second room, located in the country, but also the region. ipate in important national acts After the LDK announced entered Kosovo to end the violence. centre of the house, displays Visitors are welcome to drop by and events for freedom and the Kosovo’s first declaration of inde- Only one object remained Kosovo’s 2007 declaration of inde- during regular working hours of independence of the Republic of pendence on July 2, 1992, the build- undamaged by the fire – a picture of pendence in the centre, Rugova’s the week. Kosovo.” ing also became the home of Rugova with acclaimed writer first podium, a table used to illus- The incredibly small home, com- Kosovo’s self-established parlia- Anton Cetta, which still hangs in trate the original used for press con- Off Rr. Fehmi Agani, next to prising a handful of rooms and a ment, government, information there today. ferences and meetings, archaeologi- Tiffany Restaurant tight corridor, was first used as centre and presidency, with Rugova After funded reconstruction from cal tributes to the ancient Illyrians Bar Review: Shop Review: Clip Caffe Maden Group or some people, hip-hop music touches bar, perfect for lounging alone or with com- ver thought of building your own home or the soul, and the one place in town panions. getting in an interior designer to spruce Fserving up the best of this genre is Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings Eyour place up? Well, Maden is certainly Clip Caffe, a bar opened by a pair of local are typically more vivacious, with modishly one of the best places to go in Kosovo. rappers known near and far for their unde- clad females, and equally well-dressed Although I have yet to build a house of my niable talent. males, sparking up endless conversation as own, a recent visit to Maden Group’s offices Although their fame reaches idol-status cocktails are assembled and a DJ spins in certainly lived up to my expectations of an among the young diaspora communities the background. attentive and tailored service. across Europe and America, at home they’re By midnight, everyone’s usually out of Maden Group comprises a team of young, just a couple of regular guys to everyone, their seats, requesting songs and showing avant-garde architects, engineers and looking to show their visitors a good time. off their moves. designers, providing efficient and detail-ori- ented design and construction services for During the day, the windows and doors of The staff is diligent in keeping up with both private and commercial projects. the bar are flown open, letting out rhythmic drink orders, from Clip specialties, to beers, Although dedicated to versatility, Maden tunes, usually hand-picked by visitors spirits and wine – all modestly priced. And head architect Ideal Vejsa told Prishtina enjoying a drink inside. to top it all off, fruitful shots are regularly a Insight that they were looking to fill in a spe- Meanwhile, their front terrace joins the house treat. cific niche – people wanting professional row of countless café patios located along Day or night, there’s always a loyal crowd assistance with small building projects. the block, creating quite a lively atmosphere at Clip, usually a younger age bracket of Therefore, Maden’s projects vary from during lunchtime and weekends. twenty-somethings, leading up to the early interior design, apartment renovations, At night, the curtains are usually drawn, thirties. home designs and construction. Their team as the party is moved inside for a more pri- Bear in mind, 99.9% of the time, music can offer you a complete design, full con- Design your new home with Maden vate setting. varies from international hip-hop, reggae, struction, or both. The interior is swathed in shades of pur- dancehall and R&B. thorough research, the team is now able to ple, with no reference to anything remotely Maden has taken their services a step fur- add green options to homes, which encour- ther by testing out the market for all rele- ‘ghetto’ or ‘gangsta’. The cafe is located just off Perandori age conservation and environmental protec- vant home-building goods – plumbing, heat- On the contrary, the space is delectably Justinian, on the corner of Garibaldi and tion. ing, drywall, electricity, windows, doors, fresh, with snug seating and an attractive Luan Haradinaj. Options include orienting a home to use stairs, roofing, lighting, and furniture, just the sun’s warmth, geothermal energy, to name a few. Their website lists dozens of atmospheric water, water recycling, and trusted companies that they recommend. devices that guarantee efficient use of ener- In addition to offering custom-made gy. designs for your home, furnishings and inte- Maden’s website is full of valuable infor- rior design, Maden has also recently pub- mation for those interested in contracting lished a catalogue with home models ready design and construction projects. for purchase. Their office is also a very pleasant envi- The catalogue meticulously states every ronment to meet with architects and devise detail of the home, from a description of the ideas for your home. architecture and design, to loan options. Recent Maden projects include Z-Mobile’s The homes in the catalogue vary from new flagship store in Pejton. Their catalogue modest one-storey models, to more extrava- is also available for purchase at newsstands gant luxury pads with high ceilings, multi- and convenience stores located across the ple storeys and outdoor swimming pools. In city. total, there are thirty existing models to Y choose from. Rr. Ilaz kodra nr.9 M Maden has also wandered into new terri- 038 721 721 C Customers enjoying a drink and some urban tunes at Clip Caffe tory for Kosovo – ecological homes. After www.madengroup.com K 12 April 23 - May 6, 2010 neighbourhood

Montenengro Awaiting Recognition Border Crackdown Fails to From 72 States

hile Montenegro Deter Albanian Migrants became an independ- Went country almost Balkan Investigative Reporting Networ investigates the world of Albanian illegal migrants seeking a better life in four years ago, the country is Greece, who aren’t put off by tougher controls of the frontier. in Brief News still awaiting recognitions from 72 out of 192 UN mem- ber states. This fact emerged in one of the additional questions in the By Gjergj Erebara European Commission pre- accession questionnaire given to the Montenegrin govern- In the past two weeks I tried ment, according to Serbian three times to pass the border daily Blic. “but each time the Greek police The people of Montenegro caught me,” says Admir Cela, voted for independence from stranded penniless outside the Serbia in a referendum on May Kakavija border pass, trying to 21, 2006, after which the country hitch a trip back to his hometown of became a member of the UN. Fier in central Albania A list of countries which had Arrested three days earlier not recognised Montenegro’s after illegally crossing the border independence by March 18 close to Gjiroksatra, Greek police included Venezuela, Bolivia, held him and then repatriated The border between Albania and Greece Somalia, Yemen, Chad, him to Albania where he spent a further inland. police on both sides of the border In 2009 Greek police extradited Ethiopia, Ghana and Saudi day in detention before being Fazlliu, a 56-year-old-villager commonly use roadblocks to stop over 50,000 Albanians who had Arabia. released near the border cross- from Llakatund, close to the city immigrants. The Albanian police crossed the border illegally, According to Podgorica daily ing. of Vlora, who has crossed the stop all cars headed to the border according to the Albanian Vijesti, the country has cited in The 17-year-old had hoped to go border on foot many times, said area and ask to see people’s docu- Ministry of Interior. Albanian the questionnaire that coun- on foot all the way to Ioaninna, Greek police repatriated him last ments. border guards stopped another try’s diplomatic missions have some 55 kilometres from the time on April 7. Some migrants die, trying to 20,000 from attempting to cross. initiated the recognition proce- Albanian border inside Greece. After the Albanian police regis- avoid these checks. In October dure in Jordan, Kuwait, Liberia “It’s become very difficult,” said In an effort to meet EU visa lib- tered his name in the Qafe Bota 2008, five migrants drowned in and some other states in Africa Admir, who first hiked across the eralization requirements, Tirana border post, he was released and the nearby lake of when for a second time as the first border aged only 13, while still in continues to invest training and returned to Konispol just in time two small boats attempting to time it made such requests was sixth grade. equipment into the border police to catch up with the Champions sidestep a police roadblock at the immediately after the independ- In the last two years, Albanian to curb the migratory flow. League game between Barcelona ramp across the Vivar canal cap- ence referendum. authorities have stepped up bor- “Today we have modern binoc- and Arsenal on TV at the Baresha sized. Montenegro submitted its EU der patrols in order to curb illegal ulars with heat detectors that can hostel. Because police control the candidacy application in migration. Tighter border con- spot a person in the middle of the At 4am the next day he awoke whole length of the road that December 2008. In July 2009, the trols are one of the criteria night,” said Edurat Caka, head of and together with two other leads to Konispol, few taxi drivers EC gave the Montenegrin Albania needs to meet in order to border police and migration in guests was getting ready to make will risk driving migrants there, authorities a questionnaire that achieve visa liberalization with Gjirokastra, showing examples of his way to the border again to so they often are forced to walk as serves to assess a country’s the European Union. the tools at his disposal. cross into Greece. much as ten kilometres on foot to readiness to meet the commit- However, despite the increased “It takes up to six hours on foot reach the village. Unannounced Although illegal migration is a ments required by EU member- policing of the border between to arrive near Igumenitsa,” he spot checks of hotels in the area crime and under article 97 of ship. the two countries, the flow of eco- said, sipping a last espresso are common not only in Konispol Albania’s penal code offenders nomic migrants from Albania before setting off. but in other border towns like can be jailed for up to two years, into Greece has not stopped. Macedonia Justice The Baresha hostel takes its Gjirokastra and Korca. Albanian police admit that they Those who take the dangerous name from its landlady, though “We won’t drive illegal emi- only refer cases to prosecutors if Min. Survives No- and arduous trip on foot through there are no signs to identify it. grants to Konispol because if the they involve organised human the mountains say that while the Confidence Vote At the entrance is a picture of the police find them without docu- smuggling. crackdown has made their lives shrine of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. ments we will end up spending “Most migrants are inter- he Macedonian more difficult, it has done little to It contains two simple rooms the night in jail,” Fatmir Izeti, a viewed in order to identify the Parliament late on deter their desire to seek a better lined with five beds. taxi-driver from the resort town trafficking networks and later TMonday voted down the life across the border. Though landlady Baresha of Saranda, explained. released,” Ferdinant Gjeta, head no-confidence motion against Justice Minister Gateway to Greece: charges only 500 lek (four euro) According to Izeti, their servic- of border police in Korca, in for a bed for the night, rumours es are often replaced by those of southwest Albania, said. “We Mihajlo Manevski tabled by the country’s opposition. in the village have it that she has corrupt police officers who after only file criminal complaints to Roughly 650,000 Albanian Only 16 legislators in the 120 become quite well-off on account finishing their shifts will ferry prosecutors in the cases of organ- migrants have moved to Greece seat parliament supported the of the large numbers of immi- migrants to the border for around ized trafficking.” since the collapse in 1991 of grants passing through Konsipol. 100 euro, three times the normal motion while 65, mainly from Enver Hoxha’s Stalinist regime According to Gjeta, Albanian All seven guests staying at the fare, although the majority of the main ruling centre-right in Albania. migrants passing the land border hostel that night left to cross the migrants cannot afford it and pre- VMRO DPMNE party, voted During the communist regime, into Greece through the moun- following morning illegally into fer to walk. against. when everyone leaving did so ille- tains seldom rely on trafficking “We did not expect you to sup- Greece. Laura Totraku, a spokesperson networks. port the motion, but we gally and was considered a trai- Koli, a 48-year-old man from of the General Directorate of Despite the new equipment and achieved our goal - the tor, an electrical fence was the village of Vllahina, also close Police, declined to comment on the increased efforts to stop Macedonian public heard our installed on the border to stop to Vlora, together with his wife claims that some police are migration, Gjeta admits that credible criticism,” Vlado them. Border guards had orders was another guest at Baresha’s involved in transporting effective control of the border is Buckovski from the biggest to shoot escapees and the dead on April 7. He too planned to migrants to the border crossing. still beyond their reach. opposition party, the Social bodies of those killed were often cross the border illegally into But Izeti, the Saranda taxi-driv- “In the region of Korca alone Democrats, SDSM, said during paraded through towns to instill Greece the following morning. er who claimed corrupt cops were we have 60 kilometres of border, the 12 hour debate. terror. Koli had a Greek work permit ruining his business, said he passable throughout the year, so The Social Democrats hold Nearly two decades later, with and residency documents but his sympathised with the dilemma stopping illegal migration from Manevski responsible for fail- the electric fence long gone, thou- wife did not. facing would-be emigrants. ing to keep politics away from sands pass each year through the “My wife does not have the They “not only have to walk for economic migrants is next to influencing the work of the southern border village of proper documents to travel to days in the Greek mountains but impossible,” Gjeta said. judicial system, among other Konispol en route to Greece. Greece so she has to travel are also forced to walk for hours “The communist regime could complaints. Of all the places along the 297- through the mountain and I will in the mountains of their own do it,” he admitted, “but that was The motion for a vote of no kilometre land border between accompany her,” he explained. country”, he said. not through effective control of the two countries, many illegal the border but rather through confidence was submitted on migrants consider Konispol the Borders within borders: They keep on coming: sheer violence and repression”. February 26, due to “nepotism easiest from which to cross into in the judiciary, irregularities in the ministry’s financial oper- Greece. Three roads lead to the village According to Frontex, the EU Gjergj Erebara is a reporter ations, the scandal of usurped Besides being right on the bor- of Konispol. The main one cross- border control agency, the Greek with the daily newspaper Shqip. state-owned land, extremely Y der, the village is only 29 kilome- es the Vivar canal, which has to frontier with Albania is one of The investigation was supported poor conditions in Macedonian M tres from the nearest Greek town be passed by a raft in order to pro- worst affected land borders in by the Danish association of inves- prisons and political pressure C of Igumenitsa, from where the ceed further. Europe in terms of illegal migra- tigative journalism, FUJ, under its on judges”. K illegal migrants can catch a bus Both Albanian and Greek tion. SCOOP programme. opinion April 23 - May 6, 2010 13 New Police Chief Promises Outside In ‘Proactive Policing’ Volcanic Visa: Behar Selimi took over Kosovo’s top policing job, as acting director, earlier this month. In an interview Feasibility Study with Balkan Investigative Reporting Network’s Life in Kosovo show he talks about past mistakes and his plans for the future. aged and what will you do in the practices, but under a system which has By Kreshnik Hoxha future if you face the same situa- served well once upon a time. tion? The police of UNMIK, at the start of By Jeta Xharra First of all, our police are very digni- its mandate, were working on our devel- co-warriors must be well chuffed as they witness fied. And with the police you must speak opment. But our word has not always Eyjafjallajokull’s eruptive gift. As the volcano con- very sincerely and directly. The situa- been heard and considered. We haven’t Etinues to generously blow its ashes across Europe, uestion: Let’s talk about the tion that was created, according to my had the chance to take any decision on the continent’s airspace has enjoyed some peace and quiet great challenges that await you. personal opinion, was as a result of the establishment of the organisation from the aircrafts, and a massive cut in carbon emissions. Apart from all the qualities you Q unclear and confusing communication To understand the severity of this tragicomedy, it would have, you have however inherited a structure. between the management and our be enough to mention the case of a British family that had police force which is paid less than We are not a very professional police police. We were not very articulate, and to take a taxi from the French Alps all the way to other public services. Police officers in comparison to the regional ones, on Birmingham and forked out £2,000. Now, you wouldn’t go who risk their life are paid less than didn’t say things concretely regarding the basis of efficiency and effectiveness. to Birmingham by choice, even if you were given a Greek those who work in the post office or in the new system of wages. There is also another issue. Up until the airport. Is this fair? And do you However, from the type of communi- two years ago, Kosovo Police has been island in return, but despite the unappealing destination, I think it can be expected from you to cation used, great expectations were working in a place which was on its way bet that French taxi driver is now in love with the Brits. fight organised crime with the built and great hope was given to the to becoming a state. Now we work in the This European collective mess demonstrates how cru- salaries that you have now? police for a very big raise compared to Republic of Kosovo. cial air travel has become to our everyday life. Everyone is unhappy and asking for something. Passengers are desper- Behar Selimi: First of all I absolutely what really happened in January. This The laws, constitution, oblige us not ate to get home, having been stranded in airports for, what do not think it’s correct to accuse any- resulted in protests. Protests are legally to count on the vital support of the seems, donkey’s years. Airline companies are eager to one explicitly for the condition of the and constitutionally allowed. international presence. The laws now scrounge money from the EU to make up for their losses. police today. It is a police in develop- oblige us to be first, and only ask for Your work is not done alone. Do And the EU’s aviation authorities are far from reaching ment, just as other institutions are. It’s assistance from the internationals. you have the right to choose your a consensus on how to tackle the menace of volcanic dust clear to me what condition the police is Regarding the reform, it has already friends? Do you have the right to and indignant at criticism that their reaction was over the in, both in social and material matters. I started under the mandate of General am also clear about my ability to man- choose the people who will fight cor- top. Everyone is complaining about something. Ahmeti. I will only continue it. age the police’s budget. The salaries are ruption with you? Who would have thought that a volcano would demon- Reforms are a necessity of our time. It managed directly from the ministry of My immediate team of vice director strate what sort of whingeing characters the Europeans will consist of adapting our police finance. However, with the other part, and assistants are chosen under the are? organisation to the needs of our new which are goods, services etcetera, I will authority of the Minister of Internal In addition, who would have thought that this eruption Kosovo. Needs that have been specified try to bring in a savings plan without Affairs and that team is functioning would demonstrate how inventive the Europeans can be in the strategies for security, organised damaging the safety that the police well. Luckily, I have been working with when push comes to shove? But, inventive travel ideas run crime and terrorism. offers to the citizens. that team for a long time now. And I thin if stranded in Kosovo when you need to be in England. And regarding the dedication of the think this team will be of the right level By holding the honour of being a Kosovar, you are police, of course the current state of and will support me in all my ideas and For the public who hasn’t read required to make all sorts of advanced Excel spreadsheets salaries has an extraordinary negative initiatives. these strategies, could you please tell to examine which country accepts your Kosovo passport, impact in the dedication and readiness us what are these reforms? where you need a visa, which countries your passport is of the police to enter life-threatening sit- Tell me your vision for the police A necessity is changes to the organi- likely to cause a diplomatic crisis in and where you are uations. However, our police continue to of Kosovo. If you become a director, sational structure. The organisational likely to be shot if you wave your passport. be dignified and [the police] is still acting how long will it take to undertake structure is the foundation of an organ- Travelling from Prishtina to by coach would take in life-threatening situations, because of specific reforms, what are these isation. One reform will be changes to roughly two days on top of the whole week you would have the professional character of being part reforms and what is the budget? How work structure, which means more waited to secure your Schengen Visa. of the police. In this regard, it’s known much time, how many people, what police, nearer to the citizens, near our Jumping on Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel that one of Minister Rexhepi’s [the new budget and what reforms do you neighborhoods. Until now, our police would take you to the Queen’s land right at the heart of interior minister’s] priorities will be want to achieve in the time you will has been a reactive police. It answered London St Pancras in just over two hours. improving conditions for the police. I be director? calls, sometimes on time, sometimes So, what would you do once you get to the UK? Make hope our government will continually First of all, the reason behind the late. another spreadsheet detailing who you need to speak to to have it as its priority. There are public need for reform is the fact that Kosovo It didn’t have a preventative function. get Britain to join the Schengen Agreement? Or would you promises for this as well. Police is only ten years old. It’s one of The preventative function is carried out rather make a long list of actions the Kosovo government the youngest police forces, maybe the by police presence. We are not only needs to focus on in order to satisfy visa liberalisation If you had found yourself with a youngest one in the world. obliged to fight crime, but also to fight requirements? similar scenario to the police strike It has been created on the basis of fear of crime. Personally, I would just sit back and enjoy the fact that [which happened earlier this year], advanced international standards. This is done through police presence. we are the only nation in Europe that has to produce such how would you have managed it? Concretely the police of Kosovo has We will try to be as near as possible to sophisticated feasibility study reports on alternative trav- How do you think it has been man- been developed on the basis of good the citizens. el arrangements whenever Mother Nature shakes up!

Union in August last year? The iconic building, declared a Dear Teta Mia... protected cultural monument in 1996, had been the subject of a passionate campaign by locals to restore it to its Austro- Hungarian glory. It was sold to QMI for 3.2 million euro in 2007 by the then Kosovo Trust Agency on condition that it keep its distinctive facade. Teta Mia solves your problems However, you may not remember the blaze at the EU Office for Criminal Intelligence, coverage of which seeped out five days after it happened on the night of 24 January Why are disputed buildings so combustible? 2010. Tucked away from prying camera crews in Film City, Would reducing the heat of argument make them safer? KFOR fire-fighters failed to rescue the building, and one assumes the recovery operation continues. Lucy Fer, Prishtina But fresh in your mind will be Express’ genius headline, “The problem in Viti solved with explosion” on April 6, the any thanks for posing such an observant question, morning after a blast at a building owned by Viti Lucy. Indeed, if we review the last few years in incidents on a handy graph, which clearly demonstrates Municipality’s Directorate of Education. The building had MKosovo, it is true that several controversial buildings the truth of your hypothesis. been the subject of a hot dispute between the municipality have been razed to the ground. So, would reducing the heat of the argument lessen the and the Drenusha Hunters’ Association; EULEX had Do you remember when key files held by Prizren munici- propensity of contested buildings to combust? I’m not so recently found in favour of the latter. pality went up in smoke in October 2007? “We report that all sure. I suggest instead that we need the fire-retardant Viti Deputy Mayor Xhevat Bislimi condemned the records relating to Internal Audit activities in 2007 were effects of a decent insurance system, thorough police attack, saying it was directed against the Albanian school destroyed in a fire during the year under review,” bemoans investigations, a functioning prosecution and penal sector, and against the Municipality of Vitia. independent auditors KPMG in their report on the munici- and computerised databases to back up potentially incrim- In an effort to provide some scientific analysis in answer pality’s finances. inating files. And then, we will be able to argue as hotly as to your question, Ms Fer, I have plotted the aforementioned Perhaps you recall the fire which gutted Prishtina’s Hotel we like. Y M C To send a letter to Prishtina Insight, email [email protected]. K If you would like your NGO to appear in 14 April 23 - May 6, 2010 our Making a Difference feature, please NGO Focus email [email protected]

Embassies and Liaison Giving the Blind Hope Offices in Blind and partially sighted people in Kosovo face discrimi- Prishtina nation and challenges on a daily basis, but The Kosova American Association for the Blind and Partially Sighted is working Address: "Nazim Hikmet" no. 30 to overcome these problems Arbëria/Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 549 516 If we can’t see it, we can feel, we should think more about long-term Austrian can touch, and we are not stu- solutions to secure jobs for his com- Address: "Ahmet Krasniqi" no. 22 “pid,” said Mexhit Foniqi. munity. Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina The coordinator of The Kosova Despite these problems, aware- Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 284 Association for the Blind and ness of blind people is on the Belgian Partially Sighted said that despite increase, he revealed. “Today there Address: "Taslixhe" I, 23 A improving opportunities, blind are 23 blind persons studying in 10000 people still faced serious discrimi- Pristina University,” he said. Phone: +381 (0) 38 734 734 nation. The Kosova Association for the British When the 53-year-old, who lost Blind and Partially Sighted was set Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 6 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina his vision at the age of 20, applied up in 1947. It re-established its cen- Under health legislation, the watches for blind people, typing Phone: +381 (0) 38 254 700 for a position in Kosovo’s presi- tre in Prishtina in 1999 and in 2003 blind are given no priority for machines, glasses for people with Bulgarian dent’s office in 2002, he was not began offering services to this com- operations, even if treatment sight impairment, this is what we Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 12 taken serious. munity. could be sight-saving, and the law need.” Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina “They were shocked when they President Besnik Kadaj told for disability allowances does not He claimed that the association Phone: +381 (0) 038 245 540 saw me. They could not believe that Prishtina Insight that the associa- include the blind. hopes to benefit from a new gam- Danish I had applied for that job,” Foniqi tion covers almost all of Kosovo’s “The blind person, already a bling law, which will lead to the Address: "Nene Teresa" no. 2 said. “They didn’t interview me at territory, with some 3,000 members disabled person, has to have introduction of a state lottery. 10000 Prishtina all. I could have shown that I am registered in its database. Kadaj another disability in order to be Neighbouring countries are Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 995 capable for that position.” believes that the number of blind eligible for pensions,” he added. already provided funds through Dutch As coordinator for the associa- people in the country is around The Ministry of Labour and this mechanism. Montenegro’s Address:" Xhemal Berisha" no. 12 tion, Foniqi does a great deal of 5,000. Social Welfare has been sponsor- blind association receives 700,000 Velania, 10000 Prishtina paperwork, such as compiling He said that blind people in ing the association with 400 euro euro annually and Croatia’s Phone: +381 (0) 38 224 61 annual reports, contracts and other Kosovo are facing many chal- per month, but this donation has 1.2million euro. important documents, but blind lenges in almost all aspects of Finnish been decreasing each year. In The association currently oper- Str. Perandori Justinian No. 19 people are often seen as incapable their daily lives. 2008, the ministry was giving ates with donations for specific Pejton of doing these jobs. “The blind community is not 1,000 euro per month. projects and is working with the 10 000 Pristina He added that previously, under involved in society because our But Kadaj said that a group of Czech embassy on a programme Phone: +386 43 737 000 the Yugoslav regime, certain jobs rights are not protected in the leg- experts, including members of to train Braille teachers. French were set aside for the blind. islative framework,” Kadaj said. the association, is working on the And it’s not all bad news. Kadaj Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 67 “Telephone operators, physio- He said that under the Law on Law for Compensation for Blind said Kosovo’s postal service is Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina therapist and packagers were posi- Health and the Law on Persons, which aims to aid inte- offering free delivery for blind Phone: +381 (0) 38 22 45 88 00 tions guaranteed for blind per- Allowances for the Disabled, gration and provide equipment. people in and out of Kosovo. “We Greek sons,” Foniqi said. blind people are discriminated “We are not looking for ideal can send packages of up to seven Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 68 The government, he believes, against. conditions,” he said. “White stick, kilos and that’s for free.” Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 243 013 German Easy Medium Hard Adress: "Azem Jashanica" no. 17 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina |y |y Phone: +381 (0) 38 254 500 481 9 72 Italian Address: "Azem Jashanica" no.5 96 2 95 5346Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 244 925 47 3 Japanese 71 94 5 8547 Address: "Rexhep Malaj" no. 43 10000 Prishtina 98 4 7295654Phone: +381 (0) 38 249 995 Luxemburg 234318 31Address: "Metush Krasniqi" no. 14 Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina 728 63 5 4 18 6 Phone: +381 (0) 38 226 787 Malaysian 863 36952 3678 Address: "Bedri Shala" no. 48 10000 Prishtina 457 86 7486 Phone: +381 (0) 38 243 467 Norwegian 19 2 2 31Address: "Sejdi Kryeziu" no. 6 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 232 111 00 Saudia Arabian Address: Dardania SU 7, building 2, #1 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 549 203 Slovenian Rental of simultaneous Address: "Anton Ceta" no. 6 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 244 886 Swedish  translation equipment. Str. Perandori Justinian No. 19 Pejton 10 000 Pristina Phone: +381 38 24 57 95 Swiss Services for conferences, presentations and trainings. Address: "Adrian Krasniqi" no. 11 10000 Prishtina Phone: +381 (0) 38 248 088 Y Turkish [email protected] M For prices and booking call: +381 38 602042, Address: "Ismail Qemajli" no. 59 [email protected] C Arbëria /Dragodan, 10000 Prishtina +377 44 243376 Phone: +381 (0) 38 226 044 K By Shengjyl Osmani April 23 - May 6, 2010 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 National Theatre of Kosovo Friday, April 23, at Pacha Club, Doors Open at 11pm Wednesday, April 28, 8pm; the Ballet ‘Ping- Pacha Club opens on Friday, April 23, with Pong Skepter’ by Artan Ibershimi its 500 square metres of space, including a dance floor with special lighting effects, two separate bars, VIP section, and lounge space Friday, April 30, 8pm, the play ‘L’Envers du which create a wonderful drinking, dancing Décor’, a guest play from France and and entertainment venue. The unique envi- ronment is aimed at upscale club goers. Luxemburg The club promises to organise events with the best DJs from Kosovo, the region, and International DJs. Ticket Price: 3 Euro It will open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays VIP Service: Tel. +377 44 174 631 Location: “Rilindja” Building, Prishtina / Kosova

Friday, April 23, 2010, Tripp Cafe at 8pm

Babboo Darabuka DJ Benity Cinema Friday, April 23, Faithless from 8pm Faithless, the internationally renowned British electronica band, ABC Cinema, from April 16, has started will play in Skopje today. Ticket Price: 18 (1000 MKD) screening the movie The Bounty Book tickets online at http://etickets.exploringmacedonia.com Hunter-Let the Ex-Games Begin. The Saturday, April 24, 2010, Spray, 11pm movie, starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler amd directed by Andrew Phantom, French hip hop Tennant, tells the story of Milo Boyd, a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, who Bob Dylan in Skopje gets his dream job when he is assigned to track down his bail-jumping ex-wife, June 4, 2010, from 8 pm reporter Nicole Hurly. Place: Metropolis Arena, Skopje He thinks all that’s ahead is an easy pay- Bob Dylan, one of the most famous and successful popular singers of day, but when Nicole gives him the slip, the last 40 years, will play in Skopje in June. For more information visit so she can chase a lead on a murder www.avalon.com.mk/dynamic/vleznici_fr_en.html cover-up, Milo realises that nothing ever goes simply with Nicole. The exes continually one-up each other until they find themselves on the run for their lives. They thought their promise to love, honor and obey was tough, staying alive is going to be a whole lot tougher. The movie is shown twice a day, at 8pm and 10pm. For ticket booking or reservations contact ABC on 038 243 117 or www.kinoabc.info

Prishtina International Half-Marathon will be held on May 9, 2010 he Athletic Federation of Kosovo, Sports Department and Directory of Sport and Youth are holding the tenth Pristina TInternational Half-Marathon. Like last year’s event, this run will again promote the values of peace, co-existence and excellence in sports. In 2009, 658 runners of many nations enjoyed the event. This year, the organisers hope that the positive experiences of last Programme for Music Festival years will motivate even more athletes will take part this event. Active Live 01 For more information visit www.prmaraton.com. Mitrovica May 7 and 8, 2010 www.ngoaktiv.org May 7, 2010, at 9pm, Club Viva Pristina In Your Resident DJs from Kosovo Pocket DJ Wood – Mitrovica, Kosovo DJ Batrich – Mitrovica, Kosovo DJ Pavicevic Dejan – Mitrovica, Kosovo city DJ Chella – Mitrovica, Kosovo DJ Marko – Mitrovica, Kosovo DJ Flekica – Mitrovica, Kosovo *special guest guide May 8, 2010, at 9pm, Club Viva Live performance of local Mitrovica bands New issue for Cold Shots – Mitrovica, Kosovo Dark Sky – Mitrovica, Kosovo sale at Krvna Grupa - Mitrovica, Kosovo Dukagjini and Breakdown - Mitrovica, Kosovo Dit e Nat Lazy Band - Mitrovica, Kosovo Y Hosenfefer - Mitrovica, Kosovo For more info tel. +38 649 173 447 M And special guest Kanda, Kodza i Nebojsha from Belgrade http://pristina.inyourpocket.com C K 16 April 23 - May 6, 2010 marketing

New!

Y M C K