Opinion: Will Serbs End Tradition of Election Boycotts? Election Special Next Friday

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ELECTION SPECIAL Turkey Kosovo and the Election Profile > page 3 Enver Hoxhaj, the NEWS Kosovar education minis- Kosovo Wants EU ter, claims his then Visa Deal Before Turkish counterpart, Talks Huseyin Celik, suggested Kosovo alter its negative > page 8 portrayal of the Ottomans INSIDE PRISHTINA as ferocious invaders. Acupuncture

See Page 9-15 Victors Face Coalition Wrangle After Kosovo Election Democratic Party of Kosovo is on course for a narrow win in Sunday’s poll but whether it will be able to form a viable coalition is far from clear. adversaries. according to most polls, while the Balkan Insight that the LDK was > page 18 By Lawrence Marzouk Election polling, accepted by all Democratic League of Dardania, running close behind the PDK parties as reliable, is not available looks set to lose its seats. according to its internal polls. NGO FOCUS olls suggest that the in Kosovo. But a range of internal These figures are in line with Krenar Gashi, acting head of Democratic Party of Kosovo, political and institutional surveys the only poll that has published its the Kosovar Institute for Policy FIDES: Building a PPDK, of outgoing Prime that Prishtina Insight has results in full and provided the Research and Development, a Minister Hashim Thaci, is set to obtained suggest that the PDK is total number of interviewees. This think tank, said that the result Philanthropic win Sunday’s general election by a likely to come first with around 30 survey, by Kosovo’s Foreign Police would depend on the turnout. narrow margin, but questions per cent of the vote. Club, put the PDK on 30 per cent, Hard-core voters opt for parties Society remain on whether it will be able These surveys put the the LDK on 28 per cent, “based on traditional regional, to put together a viable coalition. Democratic League of Kosovo, Vetevendosje on 16, AAK on 12, the tribal and family ties,” he said. > page 21 Analysts believe that much will LDK, in second place, and the on 7, Fryma “It’s the other voters who will depend on the turnout, with a low nationalist Vetevendosje, or the e Re on 6 and the League of determine the final outcome, so if number of voters favouring the AAK, third, with between 10 to 18 Dardania on 1. the turnout exceeds 60 per cent, PDK. per cent. The same polls put the The results have, however, been new parties stand to benefit more, Another factor is whether the New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, in questioned by the AAK and the as they focus on new voters and on Kosovo’s only English-language Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, fourth place. Democratic League of Dardania people who did not vote in the pre- newspaper is available: AAK, led by , A new party, Fryma e Re, looks who have noted the organisation’s vious elections,” Gashi added. can be persuaded to form an likely to cross the threshold of 5 close ties to the LDK. Delivered to unlikely alliance with its former per cent to enter parliament, A senior PDK official also told continues page 5 Your Door

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A hippo in is enjoying a stay Bread prices have increased by 30 per Sent To in the wild after being temporarily cent at the beginning of December, despite Your Inbox released by zoo owners because of rising Kosovo government’s plans to keep prices flood waters. stable by keeping a wheat reserve. Nikica, an eleven-year-old hippopotamus A law passed in October gave the govern- From who lives in a private zoo near Lake ment the green light to begin hording our partners Skadar, was released after ... wheat in order to protect... news page 7 business page 6 see page 16 for more info

Y M is supported by: C K 2 December 10-16, 2010 Election Special Editor’s Word Kosovo Election Profile Drita round 1.6million people in previous elections, the con- will be held roughly according up by the President of the out of an estimated pop- duct of politicians will also be to the electoral law in place in Republic using powers invested Aulation of 2million are closely scrutinised. 2007 and 2009, with a few in him by the constitu- eligible to vote on December 12, crucial differences. tion. Every citizen although hundreds of thou- The voting system: Specifically, the aged 18 or over By Lawrence Marzouk sands of registered Kosovars system is now a is eligible to live outside of the country and Kosovo is a parliamentary wholly open-list vote. thousands of dead people democracy with a unicameral system, with Kosovo is a remain on the electoral roll. parliament. The Assembly of voters able to single elec- the Republic of Kosovo com- select up to five toral dis- ’m not sure who said that you campaign What is at stake? prises 120 deputies, selected on of their pre- trict, with no in poetry and govern in prose, but in the basis of proportional repre- ferred candi- constituency IKosovo’s case, the electioneering for the The vote is a major test of dates from a list system. This sentation across the country, December 12 poll has been more like ad-lib Kosovo’s young institutions, bar 20 seats which are reserved of up to 110 of means that street rap than Keats or Baudelaire. desperate to progress towards for minority representatives. their party of choice. although many of Mostly adversarial, almost always impro- NATO and EU membership, There is a five percent thresh- The quota of a third of the larger parties vised and usually meaningless, the type of and its politicians’ commit- old for non-minority parties to the “minority gender” – in have regional strongholds campaigning in this country is not worthy of ment to democracy. This is the pass in order to enter parlia- practice, women – on both the and poll badly in other parts of its people, in my view. first general election to be held party lists and in parliament the country, they can still get There have been many, many calls for ment, which in practice means after the declaration of inde- remains. enough votes from these Kosovo politicians to try to come up with a that the minimum number of pendence of February 2008 and The complaints procedure strongholds to claim to repre- vision, a manifesto, or even some clearly seats an Albanian parliamen- has been organised in 40 days, tary party can have is six. has also been revamped in the sent the whole of Kosovo. For defined election promises which demon- hastily amended electoral law, example, the PDK has its bas- strate an understanding of their policy brief. following the unexpected disso- The speaker (also known as lution of parliament. The tech- president of the Assembly) in theory to give the new Panel tion in the Drenica region, Instead, we have had the same grandstand- for Appeals and Complains including the municipalities of ing to the party faithful and the usual broad- nical capacity of the Central chairs the Assembly. The Election Commission in partic- Assembly elects the president more teeth. Skenderaj, Drenas and brush approach. Visa liberalisation, pay Although they have always Malisheve, the LDK is strong in ular to run the elections with of the country for a four-year rises, NATO, EU, a better business environ- been held more frequently to Istog, Podujeve and Prishtina, such a short preparation peri- term and can remove a govern- ment are all trotted out as buzz words with date, in theory, elections for while the AAK’s stronghold is od will be challenged. But, fol- ment with a vote of no confi- little thought of how Kosovo is to tackle parliament are held every four in the west, including Decan, lowing underreported but dence. these issues. years. The election date is set Gjakove and Peje. Anyone who has watched the Jeta ne nonetheless widespread fraud The December 12 elections Kosove debates each night this week will have realised that most parties do not have well defined principles. The Main Contenders in the December 12 Poll And it’s a pity. More than two years after independence, it is surely time now to move But Thaci has come under criticism more In the municipal elections of 2009, Mustafa on to a more grown-up form of politics. recently from local and international was re-elected as mayor of Prishtina, this Of course, elections can be a little shallow actors for his government’s failure to com- time without the need for a run-off, after in many countries. Parties often campaign bat corruption and over allegations that he the PDK’s negative campaign against him on the ‘hopey-changey thing’, as Sarah Palin, is trying to control the media. worked in his favour. for once, aptly put it, or the ‘we’ve done a lot, Under pressure, he reshuffled his cabinet During the 1990s, Mustafa lived in exile but have much more to do’ model. in early 2010, removing a number of junior mainly in Germany, Switzerland, Albania, But usually behind the slick sound bites and deputy ministers, while leaving the big Slovenia and Croatia after an arrest war- and colourful balloons, you can discover a beasts, including Minister of Transport rant for him was issued by the Serbian manifesto which sets out ideals and policies. Fatmir Limaj who is suspected of corrup- regime. He became minister of economy These outline where the party stands on Hashim Thaci tion, in place. His relationship with Limaj, and finances of the government of the social welfare, or devolution, reform of the another key figure in the PDK, is under- Republic of Kosova, in exile, headed by 'From 'Snake' to Prime Minister stood to be strained. Bujar Bukoshi. policing system, infrastructure priorities He has also been mocked in the media for He returned to Kosovo after the end of the and the environment, for example. haci, born in 1968, joined the his poor English and his gaffes. On a visit war in 1999, working at the Riinvest In Kosovo, it seems, most parties haven’t Albanian independence cause as a to the US in 2009, he was reported to have Institute and the University of Prishtina, even bothered to think about these issues Tstudent, becoming one of the leaders called the US Secretary of State, Hillary before becoming senior political advisor to much. of the protest movement in the early 1990s. Clinton, “Ms Albright”. He also claimed the then , Fatmir If you were to search for a book of words, As the Serbian crackdown intensified, he this year to have been mistaken for film Sejdiu in 2006. a document setting out election promises, left for Switzerland, studying history and star George Clooney. Mustafa took the presidency of the LDK you would be looking in vain. Most parties international relations in Zurich. His party, however, remains, according to from incumbent Sejdiu on 7 November 2010 don’t have one. Returning to Kosovo as a senior figure in all polls, the most popular in the country after gaining more votes in the party’s There are notable expections – FER, the guerrilla movement, the Kosovo and he was reappointed as leader of the internal elections. Sejdiu, who had Vetevendosje and AKR appear to have done Liberation Army, KLA, he received the PDK, unopposed, in the run-up to the resigned as president of Kosovo after the some revision before the exam – but the gen- nickname “The Snake” for his skill in December 12 snap poll. Constitutional Court ruled he could not eral picture is poor. evading the Serbian police. He took part in hold a political position simultaneous to Politics isn’t just about offering concrete the abortive peace talks in Rambouillet in the presidency, is therefore considered to promises which will tempt the electorate – 1999 and after the war founded the have been out-manoeuvred by Mustafa. although clearly that plays a significant roll. Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, the It is also about offering a set of ideals main faction to emerge from the ranks of which you believe are just. the KLA. This is important because a government Thaci is seen as a shrewd tactician, capable needs to make many more decisions during of skilled manoeuvring to achieve his its tenure than can ever be dealt with in a goals, while keeping a tight hold on the campaign, many of which will be unfore- reins of power. After the victory of the seen. PDK in the parliamentary elections of – Leader of the So, it is good to know when you visit that November 17, 2007, Thaci was elected Kosovo’s Prime Minister. Democratic League of Kosovo ballot box that the guiding principles of your On February 17, 2008, Thaci declared party will lead them to the correct choices. , Guardian of Flame of Kosovo an independent state in parlia- Isa Mustafa, 59, began his political career If, as in Kosovo’s case, you do not know ment. in the 1980s, heading the municipal govern- Kosovo Nationalism what these principles are, you are voting in During his three-year stint as Prime ment of Prishtina from 1984 to 1988, a posi- the dark, sometimes literally. Minister, he has also led the country to tion to which he returned in 2007 when he A born protester who has courted publicity Let’s hope that next time, a little more membership of the International beat deputy head of the PDK Fatmir Limaj with innovative stunts, Albin Kurti now light, or Drita in Albanian, will be shone Monetary Fund and the World Bank. in the mayoral race. looks set to enter parliament after the onto what these parties really stand for.

Y M C +381 38 602042, +377 44 243367, +386 49 243367 K Election Special December 10-16, 2010 3 The Main Contenders in the December 12 Poll

December 12 election. Kosovo, has pointedly refused to meet the promising transparency, investment and He was convicted in October of this year Kurti, the controversial leader of the group, unlike other political parties. jobs. of using public funds to pay for new specta- Vetevendosje, or Self-Determination move- Since then, Pacolli, 59, has acted as a cles and have work done on his teeth while ment, has been a leading, though some- defacto foreign minister, travelling the world Speaker of the Assembly. He has appealed times outspoken, voice in Kosovo for many in an attempt to secure recognitions for the ruling. years. Kosovo. For the first time his group is entering the His successes, including recognitions world of politics and, according to pub- from the Maldives and other islands states, lished and unpublished party polls, have also led him into conflict with the Vetevendosje is likely to garner more than Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 10 per cent of the vote and could even He has made no secret of his desire to emerge as Kosovo’s third largest party. become president of the country, a role he His conviction earlier this year for Ramush Haradinaj, leader of may be granted under a coalition with the obstructing officials in the 2007 Prishtina PDK. protests, during which two Vetevendosje Alliance for the Future of Kosovo demonstrators were killed, has, if any- Shpend Ahmeti – thing, strengthened his popularity. Haradinaj, 42, studied law in Following his failure to appear before the before moving to Switzerland in 1989, join- Leader of Fryma e Re court on February 22, the EU rule of law ing the Kosovo Liberation army while mission, EULEX, issued a warrant for his working jobs ranging from construction to At only 32, Shpend Ahmeti, leader of arrest. nightclub bouncer. Fryma e Re, is the youngest party leader in He remained ‘at large’, although he made He returned to Kosovo in 1998 and the 2010 electoral race. no attempt to hide from police and went became the commander of the Dukagjini After graduating with degrees in applied regularly to Vetevendosje’s headquarters in (Western Kosovo) zone for the KLA. Tales of economics and business administration central Pristina, until June, when he was his bravery in battle consolidated his power Nexhat Daci, from the American University of Bulgaria, finally arrested, convicted, but then imme- base and popular appeal. and public administration from Harvard, diately released because of the time he had After the end of the conflict, he became Democratic League of Dardania, Ahmeti worked for the World Bank to design already spent under house arrest. deputy commander of the Kosovo Kosovo’s Public Expenditure Review, and Almost 150,000 people had signed a petition Protection Corps, a civil emergency force A Professor of chemistry by education, then for the European Bank of calling for the EU mission to drop charges created by the UN to absorb the former 66-year-old Daci entered politics when he Reconstruction and Development. against him. rebels. became a member of the general council of Ahmeti has long been considered a poten- Albin Kurti was born in Pristina on March He formed the AAK in 2000 but made no the LDK in 1992, holding the position of the tial economy minister of Kosovo but had 24, 1975. He first became a “name” in political headway until the 2004 election Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo from eschewed entering politics until October, Kosovo in 1997, when he became involved in when his party secured second place and he 2001 until Rugova’s death in 2006. when he established Fryma e Re (FER) the Independent Students Union at Pristina He was appointed Kosovo’s acting together with Ilir Deda and several others, University, where he was studying electron- became Prime Minister through a coalition President until Sejdiu took over leadership resigning his position as executive director ics. with Ibrahim Rugova’s Democratic League of the party in 2007 when he won the party’s of the public policy think tank GAP to enter The union organised protests in Pristina, of Kosovo party. internal election. politics. demanding the return of the university He resigned after 100 days in office to sur- The battle for the top job tore the party He continues to teach at the American buildings. Ethnic Albanian students and render for trial at the war crimes tribunal professors had been forced out schools and in The Hague. apart and Daci left to form the Democratic University of Kosova, and with a group of other academic institutions in the early His decision to leave Kosovo quietly and League of Dardania before the 2007 election, school mates runs a popular sports bar in 1990s by the Serbian nationalist regime of call for calm won him plaudits from a range making a modest showing with 7 seats in Pejton renowned for its burgers and karaoke Slobodan Milosevic. of top international diplomats, including parliament. nights. Kurti undertook various journeys outside Robin Cook and Joe Biden. Kosovo to inform the international commu- In April 2008 he was acquitted of torture, nity of the students’ demands, taking him murder, rape and deportation and returned Marketing to Washington, New York, Brussels and to Kosovo to a hero’s welcome. Copenhagen. Judges said the prosecution failed to He met many senior foreign officials at this prove a deliberate campaign to kill and time, including Robin Cook, then Britain’s expel Serb civilians from Kosovo, but pros- foreign minister, and Hubert Vedrine, ecutors are persistent in complaining of French foreign minister. witness intimidation throughout the trial. In October 1997, at a demonstration in The prosecution appealed and in July Pristina, Kurti was arrested for the first 2009 he was returned to The Hague for are time. In August 1998 he began working in retrial. the office of Adem Demaci, chief political Despite languishing in a prison cell, he representative of the Kosovo Liberation remains the AAK’s top candidate for elec- Army, KLA. Serbian police arrested Kurti We are pleased to annouce the completion of a tion. again in April 1999 during the NATO bomb- ing of Yugoslavia. Real Estate Appraisal for On June 10, 1999, when Serbian forces with- Kosova e Re Office Premises drew from Kosovo, Kurti and thousands of other Kosovo Albanian prisoners were Prishtina, Kosovo transferred to Serbia proper. In March 2000, at a court in Nis, Serbia, Kurti was sentenced to 15 years’ imprison- ment for crimes against the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia and terrorist activi- ty. Kurti refused to be defended at his trial, , leader of the saying: “I can only be tried by a court of my New Kosovo Alliance party own people. I do not recognise this court, just as I do not recognize Serbia or Kosovo-born, Swiss-based construction Yugoslavia.” Kurti was released from millionaire Pacolli entered the world of Pozarevac prison in Serbia in 2001. Kosovo politics in 2006, after almost three Vetevendosje campaigned for the final sta- decades away building an empire said to tus of Kosovo to be resolved by a popular make him the world’s richest ethnic referendum and opposed the UN being Albanian. given a supervisory role in Kosovo’s affairs. Having studied in Germany in the 1970s, Since the declaration of independence in later moving to Switzerland, he owns the 2008, Vetevendosje has continued to oppose international construction company the idea that Kosovo, post-independence, needs to be “supervised”. Mabetex which operates in Italy and sever- The movement is well known for its innova- al ex-Soviet countries. He is even said to tive slogans and protests. However, in ‘have renovated the Kremlin’ due to his August 2009 it was widely criticised after close business ties with Moscow and helped supporters overturned almost 30 EULEX build the new capital of Kazakhstan. vehicles in an action aimed at expressing Mabetex is also a major player in Kosovo anger over the EU mission’s plans to sign construction, carrying out a 15million euro For further information contact: an agreement with Serbia’s Interior project on a government building and the www.ireas-ks.com Ministry. renovation of one of Prishtina’s most Vetevendosje’s strong polling in the run-up famous hotels, the Illyrian. International Real Estate Appraisal Services to December 12 has not convinced everyone His party came third in the 2007 election Prishtina, Kosovo that Kurti is ready for government. on a heavily technocratic programme, Christopher Dell, US Ambassador to 4 December 10-16, 2010 Election Special The Political Parties Vying

istory and traditional right. Kosovo Albanian parallel struc- ning alongside the Alliance for the Haradinaj should face a retrial, alliances remain more It’s heartland is the Drenica tures, successful calling for boy- Future of Kosovo in the December which has deprived the AAK of Himportant in Kosovo poli- region of central Kosovo, but it cotts of the census by ethnic elections. their charismatic leader for the tics than manifestos and policies, has municipalities throughout the and organising a refer- The popular mayor of Prishtina, election campaign, although he but the arrival of new political country, including the city of endum on self-determination in Isa Mustafa, instead emerged as remains the party’s top candidate parties and fresh faces on the Prizren. 1992, in which 87 per cent of the the leader following the internal on the ballots. scene is offering a fresh choice to In the November 2009 local elec- Albanian population in Kosovo elections, which has given the The AAK has been boosted by voters. tions, the PDK again secured the voted for independence. party a boost in the run-up to the the inclusion of the LDK faction, highest number of votes. The party has played a part in poll. including Rugova’s son, on their Democratic Party of The PDK, and particularly its every post-war government, win- Its policies are broadly centre- candidate list. Kosovo, PDK leader Thaci, has had a rocky rela- ning the 2001 and 2004 elections. right. Ideologically, the AAK is centre- tionship with the other party to Rugova was Kosovo’s president right. The PDK is Kosovo’s largest have emerged from the ranks of from 2002 to 2006, until he died of Alliance for the Future of political party and lead the outgo- the KLA, the Alliance for the lung cancer. Kosovo, AAK New Kosovo Alliance, AKR ing government, with party leader Future of Kosovo led by Ramush After the death of this figure of Haradinaj. Hashim Thaci the Prime Kosovo’s peaceful struggle for The AAK was formed in 2000 by Formed in March 2006 by mil- Thaci and the party have come Minister. independence, the battle for the former KLA commander Ramush lionaire businessman Behgjet under sustained pressure from The party was founded on May leadership of the party led to a Haradinaj. Pacolli, the AKR had an immedi- 14, 1999, from the political wing of the international community in split, with the formation of the Following the 2004 election, the ate impact on the political scene by the Kosovo Liberation Army. 2010 to clean up politics in Democratic League of Dardania, third place AAK formed a govern- taking 12 per cent of votes in the It was first named the Party for Kosovo. One of its most powerful LDD, led by then-speaker of parlia- ment coalition with the LDK, and November 2007 elections, pushing the Democratic Progress of and popular members, the cur- ment Nexhat Daci. Haradinaj became prime minister the AAK into fourth place. It has 11 Kosovo, but in May 21, 2000, rent Minister of Transport In the November 2007 elections, in December that year. deputies in the assembly. changed to the Democratic Party Fatmir Limaj, is currently under the party came second, securing 27 His time leading the country, Pacolli is considered by some to of Kosovo. investigation by the EU rule of seats, to the Democratic Party of however, was short lived as he be the richest ethnic Albanian. He PDK’s Bajram Rexhepi was law mission, EULEX, over his Kosovo, PDK, and formed a coali- resigned from the position in made his wealth through the Kosovo’s first post-war prime min- ministry’s handling of road ten- tion government. March 2005 after learning that he Swiss-based building firm ister, after the party secured sec- ders. He has denied all wrong Its leader, Fatmir Sejdiu, was had been indicted by the Mabetex, which has secured a ond place in the 2001 elections and doing. also president of the country until International Criminal Tribunal number of major contracts in formed a coalition with the LDK, The PDK’s 2007 coalition with the constitutional court ruled in for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, Russia and Kazakhstan. Democratic League of Kosovo. the LDK began to fracture follow- September 2010 that he could not for war crimes. In his absence Its early electoral success, how- The PDK again came second in ing the 2009 elections and col- hold both positions. Agim Ceku assumed the position. ever, was not repeated in the local the 2004 elections but this time did lapsed in October 2010, sparking He then resigned as President, He was acquitted by the tribunal polls of November 2009, when it not form a coalition. In the the December 12 snap poll. while retaining the position of the in April 2008 and returned to a formed an alliance with the November 2007 poll the party The PDK, according to all polls, LDK’s head in the run-up to inter- hero’s welcome in Kosovo and Democratic League of Dardania. came to power with the largest looks set to emerge as the largest nal party elections in late resumed his duties as president of Its municipal assembly result fell share of the votes and 37 seats. party following the election, November. the party, although he is not a from 11.55 per cent to 8.3 per cent Hashim Thaci, the former polit- although it faces a reduced num- Relations with the PDK had member of parliament as he could compared to the 2007 elections. ical leader of the KLA, then ber of seats and potential major been strained during the local not stand in the November 2007 The election did, however, see formed a government with the coalition partners may not be elections in November 2009, partic- elections. the emergence of a popular new second-place LDK, which had forthcoming. ularly over the bitter campaign for The party gained the fourth- figure in the party, Mimoza been weakened by the creation of the mayoralty of Prishtina and the highest number of votes and has Kusari-Lila, who came close to a splinter party, the Democratic Democratic League of formation of local-level coalitions 11 seats in parliament. causing an upset in the tradition- League of Dardania, LDD. between the LDK and other par- The AAK’s support base is in the ally AAK municipality of Although the PDK originally Kosovo, LDK ties, but the parties continued to west of the country, from where Gjakova. She has been proposed as had Socialist tendencies, includ- The LDK is Kosovo’s oldest work together in government until Haradinaj hails, and it has been their candidate for prime minister. ing agreements with the Labour Sejdiu shocked the political scene In line with its business roots, Party in the UK, it now sees its party, and currently the second- largely unsuccessful in carving by cancelling the coalition, which the party is centre-right with a policies as firmly on the centre largest. It was the junior partner out new strongholds outside of in the PDK-led coalition govern- in turned led to parliament being this area. strong emphasis on a free market ment. dissolved. Despite this, Haradinaj was economy. In response to the removal of During this time, the LDK was widely seen as the main alterna- For the December poll, the AKR Kosovo’s autonomy in 1989 by facing internal problems as poten- tive to Hashim Thaci for prime has aligned itself to an extraordi- Slobodan Milosevic, the tial successors to Sejdiu jostled for minister of the country. nary range of small parties, www.prishtinainsight.com Democratic League of Kosovo was positions. In the 2009 local elections, the including the Green Party of formed by a group of intellectuals Former LDK health minister AAK made the biggest gains of Kosovo, Justice Party, Social Publisher: headed by Ibrahim Rugova, seen and prime minister in exile Bujar any political party in terms of Democratic Party of former Prime BIRN as the pacifist leader of Kosovo’s Bukoshi sided with the late overall votes in the mayoral and Minister Agim Ceku. struggle for independence. Rugova’s son, Uke, who has recent- assembly poll, although this trans- It is seen as a potential coalition Balkan Investigative Reporting Network During the 1990s, the party, ly entered politics, to take over the lated into only one extra mayor for partner for the PDK, if Thaci’s which was banned by the party but instead ended up form- the party. party remain the largest after the Mensa e Studenteve, first floor Yugoslavian authorities, led the ing a splinter group which is run- In July 2010, the ICTY ruled that vote. 10000, Prishtina Kosovo Phone: +381 (0) 38 24 33 58 Fax: +381 (0) 38 22 44 98 [email protected] Bosniak Election Official

Editor-in-Chief: Lawrence Marzouk Murdered in North Kosovo [email protected] Editorial Team: ore details have emerged pality and a member of the Pazar. the Kosovo police investigate the Ana Petruseva, Gordana Igric, surrounding the murder municipal election committee set An arrest warrant was issued incident. Jeta Xharra, Marcus Tanner, Mof a Bosniak political to officiate on Sunday’s elections for Salikovic in 2000, but he “We appeal on all sides in this activist in northern Kosovo on Petrit Collaku, Inge Baanders, Shengjyl in Kosovo. remained out of reach of Serbia's potentially sensitive period to act Wednesday. The incident is currently under police, according to a police state- responsibly. The use of violence is Osmani and Belinda Vrapi Sefko Salikovic was shot dead investigation. "The circum- ment for Beta news agency on completely unacceptable,” the and Edin Islamovic was wounded stances and the possible motives Thursday. EULEX head said. Marketing, Sales & Distribution: in their car in the municipality of of the attack on the vehicle are Novi Pazar is home to most of Marnhac said that he truly [email protected] Leposavic in mainly Serb-run northern Kosovo. not known,” Kosovo police said. the Bosniaks living in Serbia. believed that the Kosovo police The killing came as Kosovo pre- In Belgrade, meanwhile, In Pristina on Wednesday, the will fulfill its tasks related to the Design & Layout: “Rrjeti” Serbian police announced that chief of the EU rule of law mis- investigation, and underscored Y pares for snap elections scheduled for December 12. the victim was wanted on charges sion EULEX, Xavier de Marnhac, that EULEX was ready to back the M Printing: Lindi Printing Center Salikovic was a member of the that he committed murder in the strongly condemned the attack police and react if necessary, the C Copyright © BIRN Prishtina-run Leposavic munici- southern Serbian town of Novi and said that EULEX would help EULEX press release read. K Election Special December 10-16, 2010 5 Victors Face for Power Coalition Wrangle Democratic League of Dardania, LDD After Kosovo LDD was created in 2007 follow- ing disagreements over who should lead the LDK in the wake of President Rugova’s death. Election It was established by the former Speaker of the Assembly, Nexhat from page 1 motion of no confidence”. Daci, following his unsuccessful He was referring to the AKR’s bid to become leader of the Coalition Choices: help in dissolving parliament Democratic League of Kosovo. and thereby forcing early elec- Ideoligically, however, it has not tions, which has been widely departed from its LDK, centre- Under the constitution, the interpreted as favouring Thaci right roots. President is elected by parlia- and his party. The Democratic League has ment after being nominated by “The PDK could then form a nine seats in the assembly, making the largest party. This must take government [with the AKR], it the fifth-largest party. place within 60 days of the gener- though it will enjoy less legitima- It polled badly in the 2009 local al election. cy because of the fixed number of elections while in coalition with The new President then seats reserved for minority rep- AKR, and recent polling suggests appoints a Prime Minister-desig- it will struggle to reach the thresh- nate to form a government fol- resentatives,” Gashi noted. old of 5 per cent to enter parlia- lowing a proposal from whichev- Another possible formula, he said, was to include the LDK, the ment. Kosovo. young, Western-educated busi- er party or coalition holds a AAK and Fryma e Re. It is well-known for its imagina- ness, academic and civil society majority in the Kosovo assembly. Kosovo’s Foreign Policy Club Independent Liberal Party, tive and sometimes witty protests leaders, and it stands out from The government must be asked their poll interviewees and graffiti, but has also been other parties for its inclusion of formed within 60 days of the SLS about whether various coalitions widely criticised on a number of well-known women in its central appointment of the Prime Minister-designate otherwise a between the PDK and other par- The Independent Liberal Party occasions for damaging EULEX organisation and its comprehen- new election is held. ties would be “acceptable”. Only was formed in 2006, securing five vehicles. sive programme. Several parties have already a coalition between the PDK and seats in the national assembly in Albin Kurti, the enfant terrible Party president Shpend Ahmeti ruled out potential coalitions minority parties or PDK and the 2007 elections, making it the of Kosovo’s political scene, studied at Harvard and has with the PDK. Former coalition AKR had more people in favour largest party representing Serbs remains, however, remain very worked for the World Bank before partners LDK, now headed by the of it than against. in Kosovo. popular and garnered huge sup- leading a public policy thinktank, staunchly anti-PDK mayor of A senior international official The SLS is part of the PDK-led port when he faced trial over his GAP, in Kosovo. His team includes Pristina, Isa Mustafa, have in Kosovo suggested that the PDK government coalition and has two involvement in a 2007 protests, Ilir Deda, former director of the already said they will not team may struggle to find a winning ministers in the cabinet. during which two of his support- research institute KIPRED, up with their erstwhile partners. coalition formula. Led by Slobodan Petrovic, the ers were killed by UN police. renowned businesswoman Linda Fryma e Re, a new party of party secured the mayoralty in It is one of a few parties to have Shala and Mitrovica-based civil “If the PDK comes first – and civil society representatives, three municipalities in the published a programme for the society activist Valdete Idrizi. that’s still an ‘if ’ – it will be up to business people and academics, November 2009 local elections: the elections, including pan- FER is emphasising anti-cor- them to try to convince potential has also ruled out partnership Serb-majority areas of Gracanica, Albanianism, removal of the ruption and technical expertise in coalition partners that their with Thaci. Strpce and Kllokot. Ahtisaari package and a more left- its campaign, and its priorities interests and policies were com- The hardline Vetevendosje has Although the party does not wing approach to economics. include sustainable economic patible,” he said. not been as forthright. But Enver recognise Kosovo’s independence, The party is expected to have a development, health and educa- “But some of those potential Vraniqi, a spokesman, said the it aims to ‘protect the interests of major impact on the election, with tion. partners have set tough limits on movement would not form a the Serb communities in Kosovo- most polls predicting it will secure Most polls put FER hovering who they’ll do business with: coalition with parties “that have Metohija’. more than 10 per cent of the vote. around the 5 per cent threshold. they recognise that the next gov- There is concern that FER will haven’t been able to solve prob- ernment must be clean, and be Levizja Vetevendosje Fryma a Re (FER) suffer the same fate as Kosovo’s lems but have only created even seen to be clean,” he added. only other reformist party, Ora, more problems”. This suggested Serbs Split: that Vetevendosje was already The grassroots protest move- Fryma e Re, which roughly which just missed the threshold in The main Serbian party in ment has turned political party for translates as ‘New Spirit’, 2007. positioning itself in the ranks of Kosovo in recent years, the the December election. emerged from Kosovo’s civil socie- Given its clean slate, it could be the opposition. Independent Liberal Party, faces Despite speculation in the run- Self-determination has built up ty only in October 2010. a potential coalition partner for tougher opposition this time up to the vote that the AAK could a strong network of activists The party embraces liberal-dem- many of the bigger parties, but it from the Serbian Joint List, a form a coalition with the PDK, in across the country in its previous ocratic ideals and has been sup- has refused to be drawn in public coalition assembled by the popu- spite of the historic antipathy guise, campaigning against the ported by its British sister party. on which parties it would counte- lar politician Rada Trajkovic. nance joining a coalition with. between the two parties, which international supervision of Its members include a range of The Independent Liberals were both emerged from the ranks of a reliable partner to the PDK in the Kosovo Liberation Army, the previous government, but the their public statements suggest a Serbian Joint List would be less partnership is impossible. pliant. Former KLA Leader Haradinaj However, a well-placed AAK Gashi said: “There is a divide official told Balkan Insight that within the Serbian community appearances might be deceptive. Granted Temporary Release “If the pressure to form a coali- between the pro-Thaci tion with PDK becomes too Independent Liberals and the he International Criminal The Prosecution opposed the The Trial Chamber, however, said much, we may be forced to do it,” Joint List, supported by Tribunal for the former motion, saying that it would pose a that Haradinaj would not pose a he said. Belgrade. TYugoslavia has granted temporary risk to the integrity of the proceed- danger to any victim, witness or The official explained that the “There will be a higher turn- provisional release to Ramush Haradinaj, ings. other person, while it assessed that AAK could face sustained pres- out among the Serbs this time,” a top commander in the former Kosovo It argued that witness intimida- Brahimaj, if released, could pose sure from the international com- he added, “owing to the success Liberation Army, over the court's winter tion remains prevalent in Kosovo, such a threat. munity, which has played a sig- of local governance in [the recess. and that Haradinaj is still a promi- Haradinaj, Idriz Baljaj and nificant role in all former coali- Serbian enclaves of] Strpce and Haradinaj will be released from nent figure in the region. Brahimaj are currently facing a par- tion negotiations, to enter a Gracanica, and the alternatives December 17, 2010 until Friday The Prosecution said that the tial retrial on war crimes charges. coalition in order for Kosovo to to the Independent Liberals.” January 14, 2011, according to a prominence of the accused would Haradinaj was indicted in 2004 be able to present a viable, credi- The diplomatic source agreed. court decision rendered on be heightened during the forthcom- while serving as Kosovo's prime ble government for future talks “The Independent Liberals now Wednesday. ing election period and that minister. He was then acquitted by with Belgrade. face competition for the Kosovo A similar request, however, was Haradinaj and Brahimaj should not the tribunal in April 2008 and Only the AKR, led by business- Serb vote, and that’s healthy,” he denied to his associate Ljahi be granted provisional release in returned to a hero’s welcome in man Behgjet Pacolli, has openly told Balkan Insight. Brahimaj, the ICTY said. the period before the December 12 Kosovo and resumed his duties as signalled willingness to work “Hopefully, it will encourage Haradinaj had requested the tem- elections, in which Haradinaj's president of his party. with the PDK. Gashi told Balkan the parties to think about what Y porary release as his wife is expect- party, the Alliance for the Future of The ICTY ordered a retrial in July Insight that Pacolli was “desper- citizens really need, and encour- M ed to give birth to their child in the Kosovo, is running. Haradinaj is the 2010, ruling that the trial was ate to get into the coalition, while age citizens to come out and C middle of January 2011. top candidate on his party's list. marred with witness intimidation. Thaci owes him a favour for the vote.” K 6 December 10-16, 2010 business Empty Wheat Reserves Push up Kosovo Bread Price Failure by Kosovo’s government to implement wheat reserve plans has led to an increase in bread prices During 2009 Kosovo imported more than 39 million kilograms of flour. By Lavdim Hamidi Of this, around 36 million kilo- grams of flour were imported from Serbia and 1.7 million kilo- grams from Austria. On top of read prices have increased this, 112 million kilograms of by 30 per cent at the begin- wheat were also imported into Bning of December, despite the country, of which 100 million Kosovo government’s plans to kilograms were imported from keep prices stable by keeping a Serbia. wheat reserve. Kosovo unions, reacting to the A law passed in October gave the hike in prices, claimed that the government the green light to rise would directly impact on the begin hording wheat in order to 40 per cent of Kosovo people who protect customers against fluctua- live in poverty. tions in the market. Outgoing minister of Trade But the Ministry of Trade and and Industry, Lutfi Zharku, said Industry has admitted that it has that during his mandate, from so far failed to begin working on January 2008 to October 2010, he the reserve. ensured that the law on state Kosovo relies heavily on wheat reserves was drafted and ratified imports from Serbia for bread and a price increase in the neigh- by the Assembly of Kosovo. bouring country has caused the According to Zharku, the recent spike. implementation of this law now Muhamet Ferizi, head of the depends on the budget of the new Association of Kosovo Millers, government, which will be estab- told Prishtina Insight that, lished after the elections on unlike Kosovo, Serbia has December 12. released 200,000 tonnes of wheat “With state reserves it would Kosovo still relies heavily on Serbia for imports of wheat and flour have been possible to affect the so far this year to maintain Trade and Industry. cine, sanitary material and med- be introduced. prices. price of bread,” admited Zharku. The law drafted by the According to this law, state ical-veterinary equipment. “Tax relief for businesses, as “The price of bread is being stocks of goods must include Lumir Abdixhiku, executive well as incentives for agro-econo- affected by the price of imports,” Ministry of Trade and Industry, basic agricultural products, director of the Riinvest Institute, my within the state’s borders, said Farizi. MTI, dictates that state reserves including meat, industrial food a college specialising in econom- could somehow lower the costs He added that other countries of goods will be administered by products, certain non-food prod- ics, said that prices should be set for the producers of bread, in the region had carried out sim- the Department of State ilar measures to stabilise prices. Commodity Reserves, a depart- ucts such as industrial raw mate- by the market, but added that tax including the final price of their ment within the Ministry of rials, petroleum products, medi- relief for essential items should products,” said Abdixhiku. Kosovo Pay Hikes Put IMF Deal At Risk IMF official warns that generous pay awards for civil servants jeopardise arrangement with the Fund worth total of 400 million euro. Sulemane noted. However, the IMF was nonetheless “look- ing forward to continuing its discussions, By Petrit Collaku once a new government has been formed", he added. The deal in October between the IMF and Kosovo followed months of delays and n the past ten days, Kosovo's outgoing intense negotiations. The programme is Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, has aimed at restoring fiscal sustainability in Ipromised 24,000 teachers a pay rise of 50 the light of a massive increase in public per cent from January and another 70,000 civil servants a pay rise of 30 per cent. spending, largely caused by the cost of a Jose Sulemane, head of the IMF in new 700-million-euro highway. Work on the Kosovo, told Prishtina Insight that the Fund road began this year. could not see how such hikes could be “To achieve this objective, the authorities afforded without breaking the terms of a committed themselves to limiting overall deal penned in October, signed by Thaci, budget expenditures and exercising which limits maximum rises in the public restraint in current spending," Sulemane sector pay to 8 per cent. recalled. This agreement paved the way for the IMF “Such restraint is needed to contain the offering Kosovo a 110-million-euro soft loan, impact of large capital spending, including which opened the door to a further 300 mil- from the Route 7 Highway project,” he lion in aid from the European Union and the added. World Bank over the next three years. Kosovo’s Finance minister, Ahmet Shala, “We estimate that the public-sector wage said the salary increases would not break increases under consideration, including the deal with the IMF because the govern- the proposed 30 per cent increase for civil ment planned to fill the budget hole through servants, would cost about 2 per cent of more efficient taxation. GDP,” Sulemane said. “There are mechanisms in place that The International Monetary Fund has warned Kosovo’s government about promises of salary increases This would add an extra 90 million euro to could bring in an extra 80 million euro, such the budget, which, according to the IMF, as better performance by tax bodies, more said. “The new government... will renegoti- the plans had been budgeted for. could only be achieved by making major efficient rule of law and cuts in unnecessary ate completely the platform with the IMF Thaci's pay increases has been widely Y cuts in other areas. expenses," Shala told Prishtina Insight. based on new policies," Shala added. criticised as electioneering on behalf of his M "It would be difficult to see how these “This won't be easy but it is possible and In a later press conference, Thaci brushed Democratic Party of Kosovo, which hopes to C increases could be accommodated by a in this way we will not have to cut spending off criticism, saying that Kosovo makes its retain control of the country following the K Fund-supported policy programme," on capital projects next year and in 2012,” he own budgetary decisions and arguing that December 12 snap poll. neighbourhood December 10-16, 2010 7 Hippo Swims Free in Flood Waters

hippo in Montenegro is enjoying a Albania, over the past week. Monday. are swamped with the rising water. Civil stay in the wild after being tem- Locals are used to Nikica's ventures into The zoo owners say they are tracking the protection services are now providing help Aporarily released by zoo owners the wild, as she was seen out and about in movements of the two-tonne animal, and to residents affected by the floods, and because of rising flood waters. the beginning of the year after heavy rain that she will be returned to her fenced-in river levels appear to be dropping slowly. Nikica, an eleven-year-old hippopota- and flooding hit the area. area once the water recedes. Locals have called the floods, which have mus who lives in a private zoo near Lake Residents in nearby villages say they Flooding in Montenegro over the past also ravaged nearby Albania, Bosnia, Skadar, was released after severe flooding saw the hippo resting under a cherry tree week has prompted some 7,000 people to Serbia and Bulgaria, the worst in the past struck the area, on the border with on the lawn of a neighbour's house on leave their homes and streets and houses century. Albania Surveys Serbian NGOs Condemn Damage after Nobel Ceremony Boycott Rights’ groups and lawyers call on officials to reverse their decision to boycott Friday's Massive Floods Peace Prize ceremony, a decision made in an apparent gesture of support for China. Despite improving weather conditions, Albania remains in a told Prishtina Insight. Miljenko Dereta, director of “By trying to boycott this the NGO Citizens' Initiatives, critical situation following last week's floods that forced the year’s ceremony Serbia is again said there was still time for the evacuation of thousands of families in the country’s north. By Bojana Barlovac confirming that it is far from a government to change its mind. sincere fighter for respect of "In that case, President Tadic while in the city of Shkodra citizens human rights and all those val- should first ask Jeremic to have been forced to use boats to navi- ues that are typical of a mod- resign," Dereta told Prishtina gate the flooded streets. ern, European, democratic soci- Insight. Besar Likmeta The regions of Durres and Fier ights groups have voiced ety," the Serbian Lawyers’ However, he also said he have also been affected by floods. In anger over Serbia's deci- Committee for Human Rights, doubted this would happen. Durres, nearly 1,600 homes have been Rsion to be among 19 coun- damaged by rising waters. tries that have said they will boy- YUCOM, said in an open letter. Tadic was probably awaiting The weather today is good but in Albania has asked for help from cott the Nobel ceremony in Oslo, It remains unclear who was results of internal elections the upcoming days it could get NATO and EU countries; thus far where Chinese dissident Liu responsible for the decision. within his Democratic party, “bad again,” Prime Minister Sali assistance has arrived in the form of Xiaobo will be honoured with Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, scheduled for December 18, Berisha said during his Democratic much needed helicopters from the award in his absence. widely believed to stand behind before deciding Jeremic's Party parliamentary group meeting Turkey for evacuation efforts. The director of Belgrade's it, explained the move, saying future, he said. Jeremic is run- on Monday. The Socialist opposition has Humanitarian Law Center, that Serbia respected human ning for the party's vice-presi- “It is our duty that in this weather panned the government over the situ- Natasa Kandic, said President rights but bilateral relations dency. we use every minute of time for ation, asking to revisit the 2011 budg- Boris Tadic should stand up with China were the priority. Dereta said if the govern- [emergency] operations,” he added. et in order to include necessary and admit the decision was No one else from the govern- ment retained its current Over 11,000 people were evacuated financial allocations for those affect- "shameful". ment has commented on the stance, a group of Serbian from their homes in the northern ed. "Tadic should say that the issue. NGOs would write to the Nobel region of Shkodra over the weekend, “Albania risks turning into a shameful decision on the Nobel NGOs say that after experi- Prize Committee, requesting as rising waters from heavy rainfall swamp and radical intervention Peace Prize ceremony was not encing severe violations of permission for some of them to inundated their homes. against the flooding is necessary,” in accordance with Serbia's pro- human rights in the 1990s, attend Friday's ceremony, to Y According to the emergency servic- said opposition leader Edi Rama in a claimed policy of respecting Serbia should be the first coun- show that not all the people of M es more than 14,000 hectares of agri- meeting with his supporters in the human rights and fighting try to stand by those whose Serbia agree with the govern- C cultural land have been flooded, city of Fier. against their violation," Kandic rights are being violated today. ment's decision. K 8 December 10-16, 2010 news Kosovo’s Isolation Creates Dilemma For Albania Opinion is divided in Tirana over whether the country can nudge Brussels towards extending visa-free travel to the Albanians over the border - or whether this would be counterproductive.

dom of this policy. Kosovo to the European expert who would like Tirana to be They argue that if Albania Parliament, recently told more proactive on ending the iso- made it easier for Kosovo Prishtina Insight that she shared lation of its next-door friend and By Dardan Malaj Albanians to obtain Albanian those concerns. Kosovars rightly neighbour. nationality, Tirana could effective- feared that leaving their country A political science professor at ly force Brussels to move faster on out of the visa liberalisation the European University of including Kosovo in the Schengen process was turning it into a Tirana, he notes that many Kosovo n December 15, following zone. “ghetto”, the Austrian Green MEP Albanians have in the past applied the acceptance of Albania According to the European said. for Serbian passports in order to Oand Bosnia onto the EU’s Stability Initiative, ESI, a But those concerns have not yet travel to the West - in spite of the so-called Schengen list, Kosovo shaken Albania in its determina- historic antipathy that most will be the only country in the Brussels-based think tank, Kosovo Western Balkans whose citizens is now one of the most cut-off tion to keep a lid on passport appli- Kosovo Albanians feel for the don’t have the right to travel with- countries in the world; its citizens cations from ethnic Albanians Serbian state. out visas into Europe. can travel without visas only to beyond its borders. It would be much more natural With its independence still dis- Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania’s citizenship law, for them to apply for Albanian cit- puted by five of the 27 EU member Turkey and Haiti. approved in 1998, requires at least izenship, based on their common states, the European Commission “Kosovo citizens are more isolat- three years’ continuous residency ethnicity, he continues. Kajsiu ed now, in terms of visa require- in the country before a foreign says that if Albania were more has yet even to open negotiations An Albanian passport on the issue and offer Prishtina a ments, than at any point in the last national can even apply for, let open to citizenship applications “roadmap” towards the goal of half-century,” the ESI underlined alone obtain, a passport. Nor is from Kosovo, it would put pressure opposition Socialist Party, says visa-free travel. in a recent report, Kosovo’s there any sign that these tough on Brussels to get moving on Tirana must be careful not to jeop- The EU allowed citizens of Isolation Confirmed, published on requirements are about to be mod- including Kosovo in the visa-free ardise its own place in the new Macedonia, Montenegro and November 22. ified. travel system. visa-free system while it works to Serbia to enter its borders without The ESI notes that this discrimi- “Under Albanian law… there “If Albania granted Kosovars promote Kosovo’s eventual inclu- visas back in December 2009. After natory treatment is not only a are no special citizenship provi- citizenship and passports on a sion in the Schengen list. that, many Bosnian Serbs and problem for the citizens of Kosovo sions for Kosovo Albanians,” massive scale, that would bring “To prevent a possible wave, [of Croats took out dual citizenship in but also undercuts the long-term Gazmend Turdiu, general secre- about the de facto unification of migrants] the Albanian and their respective ethnic homelands interests of the European Union. tary in Albania’s foreign ministry, both countries, something the Kosovo authorities should work so that they could access the same “It undermines the EU’s efforts explained. international community is terri- together and explain to Kosovo’s benefit. to promote much needed institu- According to the Albanian fied of,” Kajsiu claims. citizens that this will not only But few Kosovars have obtained tion building in Prishtina; weak- Ministry of Interior, the number “If Brussels blocks visa-free block their prospects of visa-free Albanian passports, or look likely ens the position of pro-European of Kosovars seeking citizenship travel for Kosovo citizens at a time travel [in future] but could in the to do so in the near future, in spite reformers in Kosovo and makes it has not increased in the last few when they can travel with Serbian of Albania’s recent inclusion in less likely that the most ambitious months and the number of appli- or Albanian passports, that only meantime penalise Albania,” the Schengen scheme. rule of law mission in the EU’s his- cations is in its normal range, diminishes the value of the Bushati says. Despite the strong ethnic ties tory, EULEX, will be as successful though officials decline to produce Kosovo passport without effective- “In the meantime,” he adds, between the two countries, Kosovo as it could be,” the report reads. any concrete numbers. ly impeding their travel,” he adds. “our joint efforts should concen- Albanians enjoy no special, auto- Advocates of freedom of move- Islam Lauka, Albania’s ambas- But not everyone accepts that trate on the inclusion of Kosovo in matic advantage when it comes to ment, like the Slovene European sador to Prishtina, says that there Tirana has much room to maneu- the visa liberalisation process.” obtaining Albanian citizenship. parliamentarian Tanja Fajon, have has been “no wave of applications ver when it comes to opening up a Dardan Malaj is a journalist for While Europe approves of warned of the danger of turning for citizenship coming from channel to Europe for Kosovo the daily MAPO. This article was Albania’s tight controls on appli- Kosovo into a permanent “black Kosovo” so far, though he adds: Albanians. made possible through the support cations for its passports, some hole” inside the Balkans. “They might come in the future.” Ditmir Bushati, an EU integra- of the National Endowment for Tirana analysts question the wis- Ulrike Lunacek, Rapporteur on Blendi Kajsiu is one Albanian tion expert and MP for Albania’s Democracy. Kosovo Wants EU Visa Deal Before Serbia Talks Senior official says discussions with Belgrade can only begin once EU presents a strategy for the country on visa liberalisation.

Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia in January. There have also been technical By Petrit Collaku problems with Kosovo accepting back Albanians returned from Western Europe. A dialogue between Belgrade Kosovo government source and Prishtina, it is hoped, could told Prishtina Insight that end uncertainty over Kosovo’s Atalks with Serbia must include something for Kosovo in the future, which has continued since form of EU visa liberalisation, adding the former Serbian province that only Belgrade would benefit from declared its independence in 2008 . a hasty start of the much anticipated A Serbian news agency, Press talks. Online, reported on Wednesday "The European Commission that the EU had suggested talks should deliver its strategy on visa start one week after the December liberalisation to Kosovo," the offi- 12 general . cial told Prishtina Insight, speak- Kosovo's government has ruled ing anonymously. out sticking to such a narrow time "The Serbian government can- frame. not wait any longer [for talks] Bekim Collaku, political advisor because they want to move forward to Kosovo's Prime Minister, with their plans," the source Hashim Thaci, said the Serbian added. report was pure speculation and Kosovo had been expecting to the date for the talks was still receive a "road map" leading unknown. towards visa liberalisation this “There will be no date before autumn, as its neighbours, Albania the general elections are over in "I am part of the [the govern- of missing persons."There will be between Kosovo and Serbia after and Bosnia, join the visa-free zone. Kosovo and before the new gov- ment's] political staff so I can't be no talks on political issues like the International Court of But the starting date has been set ernment is in place," Collaku told nominated to run talks with territorial integrity or special Justice, ICJ, issued an advisory back by political concerns in Prishtina Insight. Serbia since those talks are of a autonomy for the north," Collaku opinion on Kosovo in July. To Western countries, partly caused Y He denied reports that Thaci technical nature," Collaku told added, referring to the Serb-con- Serbia's disappointment, this by the arrival of thousands of eth- M had appointed him to lead the Prishtina Insight. trolled northern sliver of Kosovo. declared that Kosovo's independ- nic Albanian asylum-seekers after C talks with Serbia, as some He said that the “technical The EU foreign policy chief, ence did not violate international the EU lifted visa restrictions on K Belgrade media reported. talks” would start with the issue Catherine Ashton, called for talks law. Special Report December 10-16, 2010 9

Prishtina ‘Told to Revise History Books’ Turkey and the Balkans Enver Hoxhaj, the outgoing Kosovar education minister, claims his then Turkish counterpart, Huseyin Celik, suggested Kosovo alter its negative por- trayal of the Ottomans as ferocious invaders. Despite numerous written and during that era is the subject of in Kosovo learn that the Ottomans ans agree with Bajrami, others telephone requests lodged during fierce debate, with many holding closed their schools to halt the believe Albanian textbooks pres- the past month asking for a the Ottomans responsible for not spread of books and newspapers, ent a biased view of history and By Lavdim Hamidi response to Hoxhaj’s claims, both only arresting the region’s devel- which served to strengthen the are the product of intense state- Prishtina Hüseyin Çelik and the current opment but also for perpetrating resistance groups. building and nationalist fervour Turkish education minister have numerous brutal crackdowns and Hakif Bajrami, history profes- that followed the fall of the so far declined to comment. bloodbaths. sor at the University of Prishtina, . During the first official meet- Hoxhaj, however, does not About 90 per cent of Kosovo’s says Kosovar history books cor- Ilir Deda, former executive ing which I had in 2008 in entirely reject the possibility of population today are ethnic rectly present the Ottomans as an director in the Kosovar Institute “Turkey, the issue of changing revising Kosovar historical texts: Albanians. According to history often brutal occupying force in for Policy Research and historical textbooks and specific “I have no personal opinion on books used in secondary schools what is now Albania and Kosovo. Development (KIPRED), disputes content that refers to Kosovo’s – issues that are for professionals across the territory, the Ottomans Bajrami argues vehemently Bajrami’s view of the Ottomans and Albania’s – Ottoman past… [historians]. Textbooks should crushed all pro-independence against revising history books to as aggressive invaders, pointing was mentioned by Turkey’s minis- reflect a social consensus on political groups after ethnic- present a more favourable image out that most Albanians were ter of education,” says Hoxhaj. events related to citizens of the Albanians began an insurgency of the past to meet current politi- “100 per cent faithful” to the “During that meeting with the Republic of Kosovo.” against their occupiers in the late cal ends. empire. Turkish Education minister, I was Albania and present-day Kosovo 1800s. “The current government of “Turkey wants Kosovo to cor- informed that the same request – along with large swathes of the Most famously, the pro-inde- Turkey is a friend of Kosovo, the rect its historical accounts so was made also to other ministers Balkans – came under direct pendence Albanian political group Turkish people today are friends they are based on facts, not on from Balkan countries.” Ottoman rule for five centuries – the – was dis- of Albanians. This friendship nationalist, romantic myths,” he Hoxhaj stressed that the until the fall of the empire in banded by force in 1881. should continue in the future but says. “Turkey’s argument that Turkish request to revise history Europe in 1912. The subject of Kosovar textbooks state that such an initiative by Turkey [Ottoman era] history should be and school textbooks was “gener- Ottoman rule remains a highly thousands of “patriots” and ethnic about changing history textbooks rewritten is much stronger given alised” and did not refer to specific charged issue in the region. Albanian teachers were arrested, shouldn’t pass,” he said. our historical accounts have been books or texts. The treatment of Albanians deported or jailed. Schoolchildren However, while many histori- written in the last 100 years.” 10 December 10-16, 2010 Special Report

Albanians Question Aggressive invader or friendly administration? The portrayal of the Ottoman Empire in Albania’s history books remains the subject of fierce debate for Albanians and Turks alike.

Balkan states, notably Bulgaria and Propaganda Serbia, describe their past in terms of a centuries-long fight to liberate them- Historians generally agree that Gjergj Erebara Tirana, selves from their Ottoman yoke. Albanian historical records were influ- However, while such predominantly Albania enced by nationalistic propaganda dur- Christian countries can portray their ing the ‘national revival’ of the 19th cen- hen Dorina Zhupa decided to history in such terms with relative ease, tury and the communist regime during take advantage of free Turkish the issue among Muslim-majority the second half of 20th century. Wlanguage classes in the Albanians is more complex. Ferid Duka, a historian and Ottoman Albanian capital Tirana, she found her- The idea of a national, Albanian identi- era specialist at the European self on the receiving end of a history les- ty was a novel one, given that Albanian University of Tirana, says: “Albanian son she had not bargained for at all. Muslims were still regarded as ‘Turks’, history under communism portrayed While the 27-year-old expected to spend and their Christian counterparts as the Ottoman period in an extremely neg- the lesson practising her Turkish, she ‘Greeks’, until the 20th century. ative way by unreasonably emphasis- was surprised to discover that Albania In an attempt to unify and strengthen ing… underdevelopment, subjugation had never been a subject state of the the newly-independent Albania, the and the violence used by the Ottomans Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans were political elites downplayed religious dif- and by defining that period simply by not so much invader as friendly admin- ferences, choosing instead to focus on the popular uprising against the istrator, the professor declared. cutting links with the Ottoman past. Ottoman rule. “We were discussing Albanian history Turkish words were purged from the “This point of view also dominated the in the class and, at some point I said that and those Albanian- historiography of other countries in the Albania was freed from Turkish occupa- born grand viziers who ruled the Balkans, but to a lesser extent. The main tion in 1912. However, Professor Derjaj Ottoman Empire are not even men- reason for this kind of history was sim- corrected me immediately by saying tioned in the country’s official historical ply that the official ideology of the com- that the Ottoman Empire administered records. munism dictated that any reality creat- Albania and had not occupied it,” says That official version, recently repub- ed by foreign rule must always be con- Zhupa. lished by the Academy of Sciences of sidered as dark and hated.” And the professor in charge of the Albania, state that the political leaders Indeed, the historical records of many course, which was taught last year and of the new Albania believed that subju- Balkan states have been strongly criti- was funded by the Turkish government, gating individual identities in favour of cised as unbalanced and containing stands by his statement. a national consciousness and education highly prejudicial portrayals of the Adriatik Derjaj, professor of modern would “help in the emancipation of the Ottomans and neighbouring states. So Turkish and Ottoman-era languages at Albanian nation from fanaticism, back- much so, the Balkan Trust for the University of Tirana, says: “The wardness, intolerance and religious Democracy appointed a group of 60 his- Ottoman Empire was a conglomerate of divisions, which had been planted by the torians from 11 southeast European nations with equal opportunities. There Ottoman rulers”. countries to revise regional history were 36 viziers who ruled the empire This new, post-Ottoman and purposely books. and were of Albanian blood [nationali- western identity was forged at the In September this year, the group pro- ty]. expense of historical accuracy, argue duced four new books to be used by his- “I think that living together with the some historians, as these new leaders – tory teachers across the Balkans. Ottomans was welcomed by Albanians. some of whom were former Ottoman “The new workbooks… do not offer a If we analyse the language and customs Empire officials - sought to falsely new, single ‘truth’ about past controver- of Albanians today, we can see that emphasise Albanian resistance against sies, but provide a variety of informa- Albanians and Turks lived together and their Ottoman oppressors. tion and sources through comments, Turks were welcomed.” “Creating a western identity was a mat- documents, letters and pictures,” says The Ottoman Grand Viziers acted as de ter of survival for Albanian elites in the historian Dubravka Stojanovic, the edi- facto prime ministers and effectively late 19 century,” explains Tirana-based tor of the Serbian history books. ran the empire. They came second only sociologist Enis Sulstarova. Despite historical disagreements to the Sultan himself. “The kind of history that portrays between Ankara and Tirana over the However, like most Albanians, Zhupa Turks simply as enemies of Albanians Ottoman past, Turkey is now seen as a learned little about these Albanian-born begun in the late 19th century as part of friendly nation. Frequently referred to viziers. Instead, she was taught that the the Albanian nation-building process as a ‘brother nation’, Ankara is the cho- Ottomans invaded Albania and occupied known as the ‘national revival’… this sen ally when it comes to Turk-Greek the country by force for five centuries practice of nationalistic history-telling influence in Albania. until the 1912-1913 Balkans War. continued under communism and con- Economic benefits have also helped to As is the case with other nations in the tinues today. override historical mistrust, and Balkans, not only is the Ottoman pres- “Today, the legacy of Ottoman Empire is Turkey is now one of the biggest ence in Albania seen as an invasion, it is considered in Albania as responsible for investors in Albania with strategic hold- widely regarded as a national tragedy. almost every economic, cultural or polit- ings in telecommunications and finance The Ottomans are still blamed for ical issue that the country encounters. industries, public engineering contracts arresting Albania’s development to such This is a banal historicism where many and higher education. an extent that Albanians still suffer the people find it easier to blame today’s consequences today. To be told the problems on the Turks. Some say that if Ottomans were friendly administrators we were not invaded by the Ottomans Ottoman renaissance came as something of a shock to Zhupa. (referred to simply as Turks in Albania), we would be a developed western nation In addition, today’s Turks are looking to Nascent nationalism today.” their Ottoman past with a renewed sense of pride. Once shamed of the col- lapse of the empire and its reputation While Derjaj’s views may be controver- for decadence, the Ottomans have sial for Albanians, he is certainly not enjoyed a sort of rehabilitation to alone in questioning whether Ottoman “During that meeting with the Turkish society. rule in Albania was an occupation by The current government is now keen to force. Many historians now believe that, Turkish education minister, I was encourage other countries to portray in the wake of the collapse of the informed that the same request what it would regard as a more balanced Ottoman Empire in Europe, Albania’s view of the Ottoman past in other coun- new leaders and nation-builders set was made also to other ministers tries too. To that end, the government in Y about deliberately constructing a new, from Balkan countries,” Ankara has set about countering the unifying western identity that cast the M widespread, negative view of the Ottoman past as a tragic accident. says Hoxhaj C Ottoman Empire among Albanians by K Enver Hoxhaj, outgoing minister for education Similarly the official histories of other Special Report December 10-16, 2010 11

‘Negative’ View of Ottomans

financing scholarships to study Ottoman history and publishing new books in Albania. Ahmet Davuto lu, the Turkish for- eign minister, has purposefully sought to put the Ottoman Empire of the 16th and 17th centuries – the empire’s ‘golden age’ which is also referred to as “Pax Ottomana” by some historians – into context. During this time, the Ottoman Empire ruled as far as Hungary and its leaders set about construct- ing some of the great works of Ottoman architecture - most notably the Suleymaniye Mosque, or Blue Mosque, in Istanbul. At the same time, new Balkan towns were founded, including Albania’s capital city Tirana. In Bosnia, the Ottoman’s built the famous Drina Bridge – immor- talised by the Yugoslav Nobel Laureate writer Ivo Andric in his most famous novel, The Bridge on the Drina. During this period, clock towers began to appear for the first time in Balkan towns. During an official visit to Tirana in October 2009, Davutoglu pur- posely declared that Balkan coun- tries and Turkey share a “common history, destiny and future”, while also claiming “until the 16th cen- tury, cities in the Balkans were wealthier than those of Western Europe”. It should be noted that many histo- rians, including Sevket Pamuk, a leading economics historian at the The Carshi Mosque in Prishtina Bogzici University in Istanbul, dis- the Ottoman period, especially Some historians believe that peo- Turkey, Albanian nationalist sen- records are the product of a period pute this claim. Pamuk insists that during communism, bleaker than ple in the Balkans, after a period of timents remain as sensitive as of fervent nationalism, there is in the 16th century, wages for it was… but the Ottomans did prolonged and often difficult ever. Media speculation about harsh and persistent resistance to Ottoman Empire citizens were invade Albania and that was a fact nation building, are now ready to Turkish requests to revise any attempt to revise them. about a third lower than those of that we cannot ignore.” view the Ottoman era with less Albanian accounts of the Ottoman Additional material provided by their western counterparts. Enver Hoxhaj, the Kosovar educa- antagonism. period accompanies every high- Altin Raxhimi and Lavdim Revising history tion minister, claims that in 2008 Dritan Egro, an Ottoman era histo- level official visit from Ankara. Hamidi. his then Turkish counterpart, rian at Albania’s Institute of These visits are invariably fol- This article was produced as part of While Davutoglu’s statements Huseyin Celik, went so far as to History, says this “softening” lowed by weeks of intense nation- the Balkan Fellowship for about the Ottoman past are contro- ask that school textbooks and his- towards the Ottomans is a result of al debate about the need, or other- Journalistic Excellence's Alumni versial in themselves, there has torical accounts in Prishtina a more sophisticated approach to wise, to revise Albania’s history Initiative, established and funded been intense speculation in the should be revised. social sciences combined with a books. Despite the fact that many by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Albanian media that Davuto lu “During that meeting with the renewed, general curiosity about concede that Albania’s historical ERSTE Foundation. had officially requested that Turkish education minister, I was the period Tirana revise the negative por- informed that the same request “After the creation and solidifica- Extracts: trayal of the Ottoman Empire in was made also to other ministers tion of nation states in the its textbooks. Albanian govern- from Balkan countries,” says Balkans, that needed… [historical The History of the Albanian People* ment officials have refused to con- Hoxhaj, who stresses the request accounts portraying] the Ottoman firm or deny that any such to revise historical accounts was Empire as subjecting its peoples to “The struggle against the national yoke of the Ottomans to create requests have been lodged. 500 years of darkness and a chok- an independent state, which has been the fundamental intention of Historian Ferid Duka recalls that “I think that living together ing oppression… [has developed the National Liberation Movement was, in itself, a democratic meas- the first Turkish ambassador to with the Ottomans was wel- into] a curiosity about what really ure. The fulfillment of such objective would pave the way for the Kosovo, appointed shortly after happened during the Ottoman country’s economic and cultural development." Prishtina declared independence comed by Albanians. If we Empire,” says Egro. "Furthermore, the National Movement was directed towards a spe- in 2008, also called for historical analyse the language and Yet, revising historical accounts is cific social class, against the semi-feudal, Turkic-Ottoman one (with accounts in that country to be still seen as an attack on the Sultan at its head),which had the political power and oppressed revised. Almost 90 per cent of customs of Albanians today, Albanians’ national identity by and kept the Albanians, and other non-Turkish nations, under its Kosovo’s population of 2million we can see that Albanians some. Others have mixed feelings yoke.” are ethnic Albanians. with regard to renewed ties with “Albania was ruled by a medieval and despotic invader, with the “The first Turkish ambassador to and Turks lived together and the Turks. ugliest features of economic and political violence, like heavy taxa- Kosovo… stated in the local media Turks were welcomed.” “In recent times, there has been a tion, political discrimination that led to the denial of identity of the that Kosovo and the Albanians debate in Albanian media on the Albanian nation, the barring of teaching in the native tongue in need to review the way they see ‘neo-Ottoman’ foreign policy of schools, the absence of most elementary human rights, and even the “generalised” and did not refer to the Ottoman history, saying that the Turkish Government. Some massacring of the Albanian population through punitive expedi- specific books or texts. first of all, the Ottoman conquest see improved relations with tions.” While Hoxhaj does not entirely was not an invasion,” recalls Turkey as dangerous for Albanian “The diffusion of national culture and education would help in the reject the possibility of changing Duka. Europeanism, but there are others emancipation of the Albanian nation from fanaticism, backward- Kosovo’s history books, he under- “I was then called to give an inter- who see Turkey as a good balance ness, intolerance and religious divisions, which had been planted lines that it is a matter “for profes- view to ALSAT, a pan-Albanian tel- when it comes to strong Greek by the Ottoman rulers.” sionals [historians]” and that text- evision station, to comment on it, influences in the country,” notes Translated by Altin Raxhimi books “should reflect a social con- and I said that it was definitively sociologist Sulstarova. * Fragments retrieved from The History of the Albanian People, sensus on events related to citi- an invasion. I said that the Regardless of the political impera- published by the Albanian Academy of Sciences, 2002, Vol II Albanian historiography did make zens of the Republic of Kosovo”. tives to restore relations with 12 December 10-16, 2010 Special Report Turkey’s Balkan

Ankara is investing in strategic sectors in the Balkans in order to increase its economic and political influence, but what’s on Turkey’s must-buy list? from US $120m (90.8 m euro) in Serbia ‘key to regional 2008 to $210m (158.9m euro) in 2009. security’ By Lavdim Hamidi Erdogan also underlined that Turkish companies are increas- Despite low levels of investment ingly involved in transport proj- from Ankara, Turkish officials ects and telecommunications in stress that Serbia is really the ack in 2001, Ahmet Kosovo, adding his country stood country of crucial importance in Davutoglu, the Turkish for- ready to take the next steps the Balkans. Beign minister, authored a toward ensuring the “stability of Suha Umar, who was the paper entitled Strategic Depth, the region and the Balkans”. Turkish ambassador to Belgrade outlining Ankara’s global ambi- Dominance of Balkan markets until September 2010, explains tions. “Turkey is definitely interest- that Belgrade is the key to security Anyone doubting the scale of ed to invest in strategic sectors in the entire region. those ambitions should take note in the Balkans, such as telecom “If we are after peace and stabil- of his assessment of Turkey’s and airport facilities. This is ity, without Serbia truly seeking place in the world. part of its economic strategy, in peace and stability, it won’t hap- Turkey’s geopolitical position, pen. If we are looking for trouble, order to dominate key economic Davutoglu says, “has to be seen without Serbia it is very difficult sectors in the Balkans”, says as a means of gradually opening to create trouble. This is why Fadi Hakura, an expert on up to the world and transforming Serbia is the key country and Turkey’s EU accession bid and a regional into global influence…. Turkey has realised this fact,” he fellow at the London-based think Turkey is both a European and says. tank Chatham House. Asian, Balkan and Caucasus, Ankara and Belgrade signed a Ankara has already made key Middle Eastern and free trade agreement that came purchases across the region. In Mediterranean country”. into force in September this year, May this year, Turkish firm And Ankara has considerable opening Serbia to Turkish LIMAK was awarded the con- financial muscle to flex. investors and paving the way for tract to run Prishtina’s According to the World Bank, visa-free travel for nationals of International Airport for 20 Turkey is the 17th largest econo- both countries. years. LIMAK has promised to my in the world with a gross “Turkish businessmen are very invest US $106 m (80 million domestic product, GDP, of nearly interested in Serbia,” says Umar, euros) in airport infrastructure $617.1 bn (465.6bn euro). pointing to the three giant Turkish as part of the deal. Turkey has already invested construction firms – Kolin, Also this year, the Turkish- millions of euros across the Makwol and Juksel – who have American consortium, Enka and Balkans – concentrating largely just signed agreements to build Bechtel, won a tender worth on telecoms, transport infra- part of the planned 445km high- around $924.8m (700m euro) for structure and the banking sec- way stretching from Belgrade via the construction of a new high- tors. Sandzak to Bar in neighbouring way which will connect Kosovo During his first official visit to Montenegro. with Albania and Serbia. Prishtina in November this year, Ankara has chosen to invest Turkish companies are now Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s heavily in the troubled, majority- ambassador to Ankara, sees extremely tough. vying for key stakes in the pri- prime minister, was careful to Muslim Sandzak region that lies Turkey’s interest in Serbia as “There is nothing bad about vatisation of two of Prishtina’s highlight that trade between the across southwest Serbia and bor- decidedly pro-Muslim. Turkish interest in investing in largest public companies: Kosovo two countries had almost dou- ders Bosnia, Montenegro and “Serbia isn’t Turkey’s privi- Kosovo, but the decisions taken in Energy Corporation and Post and bled in the past two years, rising Kosovo. Sandzak has strong links leged partner in the region. That Kosovo must take into account Telecommunications of Kosovo. with Turkey, as many residents position is reserved for Bosnia and [and further] Kosovo’s ambition to Turkish investors’ interest in have relatives who emigrated dur- Herzegovina and Albania, as well join the EU”, he stresses. Balkan countries began to climb ing the 1912 and 1913 Balkan wars, as for Muslim communities in Abdulla Hamiti, head of during the nineties, and invest- other Balkan states, which are a Oriental studies at the University ments have continued to steadily permanent base and source of of Prishtina, disagrees with Deda, increase since then. “Turkey is definitely interest- regional Turkish influence,” he claiming that the free market does While Macedonia and Bulgaria says. not recognise ideology or politics. attracted considerable Turkish ed to invest in strategic sec- Ilir Deda, former executive He thinks this rapprochement interest before 2000, more than tors in the Balkans, such as director for the Kosovar Institute with Turkey should not be regard- half of the total amount of telecom and airport facili- Turkish investment in Albania, for Policy Research and ed as a step away from Europe, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and ties. This is part of its eco- Development-KIPRED, sees other because one of Ankara’s own key Serbia has been realised since nomic strategy, in order to problems with Turkey’s re-emer- objectives is accession into the EU. 2005. gence as a key player in Kosovo. Hamiti warns that while Turkey According to Turkey’s treasury dominate key economic sec- French and German companies has enormous economic might, department, the most important tors in the Balkans”, are leaving the country, while Kosovo should not be ‘intimidated’ direct investment destination for Kosovo's main assets are given to by large-scale investment by Turkish investors in the Balkans says Fadi Hakura Turkey, says Deda. Turkish companies. is Bosnia-Herzegovina. The least Go East or West? Despite high levels of Turkish preferred country is Serbia. “So the first question that arises investment in, and religious and from these circumstances is which cultural ties to, Bosnia, Albania Turkey is the fourth-largest as the Ottoman Empire began to investor in Bosnia, behind decline. direction is Kosovo going? Is it and Kosovo, Chatham House’s Austria, Slovenia, and Germany. This has irked some non- going straight to Asia, or to Hakura believes that Turkey is In late 2008, Turkey bought 49 per- Muslims in Serbia. Professor Europe?” he asks. more interested in bigger markets, Y cent of Bosnia’s national carrier, Darko Tanaskovic, an expert in He is afraid that Kosovo is losing such as Romania and Bulgaria. M BiH Airlines. Turkey and Bosnia Oriental studies at the University European friends and, he says, “The biggest trading partner for C have also signed several bilateral of Belgrade and one-time Serbian this means that Kosovo's criteria Turkey in the Balkans is Romania. K Fatmir Besimi, Minister of Economy agreements. for membership of the EU will be Bosnia and Kosovo are very, very Special Report December 10-16, 2010 13 Shopping Spree

Lumir Abdixhiku, executive director of the Institute for Turkish Balkan Investment Development Research, Riinvest, in Prishtina, believes that Ankara ALBANIA years, the building on a key is shoring up its existing interests highway linking Kosovo to in the region. • Turkey is now the third- Serbia and Albania, and vari- He points out that Turkish busi- largest investor, after Italy ous interests in the banking, nesses also export significant and Greece, according to the insurance and education sec- amounts of goods to the region – Turkish foreign ministry. tors. largely because they have a good • About 80 Turkish companies are already operating in understanding of the local eco- MACEDONIA nomic climate. Albania. • Turkish company Calik has Abdixhiku stresses that cheaper • Turkish investment in Turkish products have been avail- made the most significant Macedonia has risen sharply able for a long time in the Balkans investments, including inter- in the last five years, says and they are popular with local ests in Albtelecom, the Fatmir Besimi, the economy consumers because they are more nation’s telephone and inter- affordable. net provider, Eagle Mobile, minister. “Balkan countries are emerging and the country’s second • Key contracts include the markets with lots of opportuni- biggest bank, BKT. running of two airports – ties, and Turkey is currently well Skopje and Ohrid – for the positioned [to take advantage of BOSNIA next 20 years, on condition of that],” he says. investing 200m euro ($264.2m) Turkey has also been able to • Turkey is the fourth-largest in the country’s airport infra- step in as Greek investment in the investor in Bosnia, behind structure. Austria, Slovenia and region drops, as Athens struggles • Besimi believes that Turkish Germany. to balance its books following the investments in Macedonia global economic downturn. In • In late 2008, Turkey bought 49 will grow but not outstrip EU 2009, the Greek budget deficit percent of Bosnia’s national investment. stood at 15.4 per cent of GDP. carrier, BiH Airlines. Turkey While Turkey’s economic and and Bosnia have also signed political influence is, without several bilateral agreements. SERBIA doubt, growing across the The total amount of Turkish Balkans, EU membership is the investment from May 1994 to • Ankara and Belgrade signed central aim for both. December 2009 is estimated at a free trade agreement in A report published by the 115m euro ($151.9m), accord- 2010. European Stability Initiative, an ing to the Foreign Investment • Three major Turkish con- independent non-profit research Promotion Agency of Bosnia struction firms will build institute, in November this year, and Herzegovina. part of the planned 445km likened relations between Turkey highway stretching from and the EU to a Catholic marriage. KOSOVO Belgrade to Bar in neighbour- That is, divorce is not an option. ing Montenegro. The report authors predict that • Trade between Ankara and • Turkish companies have small markets for Turkish one priority for the Balkans. These even if Turkey has not joined the Prishtina has almost doubled expressed interest in the debt- exports”, he says. are political and economic limita- EU 10 years from now, the acces- in the past two years, rising Overall, Hakura explains, the tions that will stop Turkey from sion process will be ongoing. The from US $120m (90.8 m euro) ridden national carrier – JAT major Turkish investments are taking the position as lead only question then is whether the in 2008 to $210m (158.9m euro) Airways, retail and leisure focused in the Middle East. investor in the region,” says couple will be happy, or not. in 2009. industries. “Turkish overall trade with the Hakura. As Balkan states adjust, or gear • Key investments include the • Despite this, 80% of invest- Middle East is worth 23.4bn euro Turkey applied for the first time up, for EU membership, the very contract to run the capital’s ments in Serbia come from (US $31bn), much higher than with for EU membership in 1987. same question could be asked international airport for 20 EU countries the Balkan countries,” Hakura Ankara’s attempt to join has been about renewed relations between says. repeatedly rejected by some EU Turkey and its former Ottoman- EU ‘biggest player in the region’ member states for varying rea- era territories. Hakura agrees that Turkey sons, and is currently stalled. Aleksandra Stankovic, a wants to be a big player in the While some have argued that Belgrade-based journalist, con- Balkans but stresses the EU is, and Turkey’s interest in the Balkans, tributed to this article will remain, the biggest economic and other regions, merely reflects This article was produced as player in the region, rather than Ankara’s attempt to create an part of the Balkan Fellowship for Ankara. alternative to EU membership, Journalistic Excellence Alumni “The European Union integra- others believe that Turkey is sim- Initiative, established and sup- tion process is still the number ply building on its existing ties to ported by the Robert Bosch the region. Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation.

“There is nothing bad about Turkish exports to the Balkans* Turkish interest in investing Turkey’s total export volume to Balkan countries, including Greece, in Kosovo, but the decisions Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia was estimated at US taken in Kosovo must take $10.8bn (approx 8.17 bn euros) for 2008. into account [and further] Following the global economic crisis, total exports to these countries dropped to over US $6.9 billion (5.22 bn euro) last year. Y Kosovo’s ambition to join the In the first half of 2010, Turkey exported US $3.4 billion (2.57bn euro) M EU”, he stresses. worth of products to Balkan countries. *Source: Turkish Statistical Institute C Fadi Hakura K 14 December 10-16, 2010 Special Report

Economics Override History After a long period of distant, often frosty relations, Turkey and Serbia appear to be finally warming to each other. But will the Serbian people put aside historic grievances dating back to the Ottoman Empire and welcome Ankara’s Balkan renaissance? Serbian construction firms. This contract marks the first large investment in Serbia. By Aleksandra This is just the start. Turkish Stankovic Belgrade investors are eyeing a range of projects – including other infra- structure contracts and potential We need jobs, so if the Turks deals involving factories, super- are going to create new jobs, markets, leisure, energy and the “they are welcome. I believe rebuilding of airports. that what was happening here Turkish Airlines is also bidding more than 100 years ago won’t be for the Serbian national carrier, an obstacle for Turkish invest- JAT Airways, which is saddled ment in Serbia, because… we are with almost 150m euro of debt and living in a new age now,” says an ageing fleet of aircraft. Aleksandra Mitic, a 20-year-old student in Belgrade. Negotiations between the two air- Her views are, by and large, typ- lines are expected to be finalised ical of the younger generation of by early 2011. While JAT has Serbs, who appear less concerned become a costly liability for the with Turkey’s historical baggage Serb government, Turkish Boris Tadic and Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrating Turkish culture as one-time Ottoman occupiers of Airlines is keen to expand it ters of Turkey, Bosnia and putes is even more so. ments of Muslim leaders in the Serbia and most simply see routes across the Balkans. Herzegovina and Serbia. The Serbian political elite cer- region – in particular, Muamer Turkish investment as good for Ankara and Belgrade signed a Observers believe that Turkish tainly seems to be content to allow Zukorlic, who is calling for the Serbian economy and jobs free trade accord – which came influence and negotiation led to Ankara to also get involved in Sandzak to be an entirely market. into effect in September this year the Serbian parliament adopting attempting to resolve internal dis- autonomous region. And the Serbian political lead- – opening Serb markets to the Declaration on Srebrenica on putes – most notably in the impov- Turkey has publicly criticised ership agrees. In fact, economic Turkish investors. The two coun- March 30, 2010. erished and troubled Sandzak Zukorlic’s views, making it clear cooperation between the two for- tries are in the process of allow- The declaration was a diplomat- region in south-western Serbia, to Belgrade that it will not sup- mer foes is now well under way. ing visa-free travel for their ic landmark as it condemned the which borders Bosnia and port moves to grant Sandzak Srdjan Stevic, a civil servant in nationals. 1995 Srebrenica massacre during Herzegovina, Montenegro and autonomy. Serbia’s economy and regional Sulejman Ugljanin, the Serbian which around 8000 Muslims were Kosovo. Suha Umar, who was Turkey’s development ministry, says the minister who is responsible for volume of trade between Serbia Serbia-Turkey bilateral relations, killed. The Sandzak region is predomi- ambassador to Belgrade until and Turkey reached 180m euro in backed visa liberalisation during After this, the presidents of nantly Bosniak - Muslim with September this year, stresses that the first eight months of 2010 a parliamentary debate in Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina strong Turkish links. Many Ankara wishes only to stabilise alone. That figure represents a October this year, saying it would and Serbia met in Istanbul to sign Sandzak residents have relatives the situation in Sandzak. 110% increase on figures for all of enable greater investment in the Istanbul Declaration on Peace living in Turkey, as many emigrat- “Autonomy is not in the interest 2009. Serbia. and Stability in the Balkans on ed during the 1912 and 1913 of people of Sandzak because Belgrade wants to bring the vol- “We should enable business- April 24, 2010. Balkan wars, as the Ottoman their future lies in Serbia. If they ume of trade between the two men to invest here and employ Aleksandar Popov, director of Empire began to decline. choose to go in the other direction countries to about 365m euro in young people. We have an obliga- the Centre for Regionalism, based In turn, Ankara is keen to they will be isolated, poor and the near future, according to a tion to enable our future strategic in Novi Sad, which aims to fur- invest in the region. The section even we cannot make them sur- paper published recently by the partners to come to Serbia with- ther cooperation across the region of the Belgrade to Bar highway vive,” said Umar. Serbian parliamentary Joint out waiting at the airport.” says: “The Istanbul Declaration Turkish companies will build lies And to underline the point, the Committee for Serb-Turk opened the possibility for resolv- across the Sandzak region. In Turkish prime minister, Tayyip Economic Cooperation. By com- Diplomatic relations ing problems through dialogue addition, Turkish companies have Erdogan, was careful to ensure he parison, Serbia currently has the restored [between Bosnia and Serbia].” been awarded two further con- was accompanied by the Serbian highest volume of trade with Indeed, in July this year, tracts to build smaller roads else- president, Boris Tadic, when he Germany, valued at 2.1bn euro in This represents an astonishing Erdogan, Tadi and the chair of where in Sandzak. opened the Turkish Cultural 2009. reversal of diplomatic relations, the Bosnia and Herzegovina pres- Bearing in mind that just 20 per Centre in Novi Pazar, the biggest Srdjan Janicijevic, director of which had deteriorated badly dur- idency, Haris Silajdži , jointly cent of Sandzak’s roads are paved, town in the Sandzak region, in the Economic Institute in ing the war in Bosnia and attended a Srebrenica memorial residents are hoping these new July 2010. Belgrade, says that economic Herzegovina 1992-1995. The ani- service. highways will help rejuvenate the Again, Turkey can claim much cooperation with Turkey is vital mosity reached a high point in This was unthinkable only a local economy. Sandzak was hit success in defusing potentially because Serbia has been in trade 1999, when Turkish airplanes took few months ago, because of the hard by international economic explosive tensions in Sandzak. deficit with Turkey to date and an active part in NATO bombing ongoing disputes between Serbia sanctions imposed under the Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish Turkish investment in Serbia is of Yugoslavia. and Bosnia and Herzegovina Milosevic regime and poor finan- foreign affairs minister, helped still very modest. Diplomatic relations were sev- which began during the war. cial management by central gov- negotiate a peace deal between “Strengthening of economic ered when Turkey became one of Thanks also to Ankara’s ernment, including controversial two major political parties in cooperation is in the interest of the first countries to recognise involvement; the ambassador of privatisation deals. Sandzak. both Serbia and Turkey because, Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of Bosnia and Herzegovina is again More than 50 per cent of the There have been numerous inci- among other things, the agree- independence in February 2008. present in Belgrade, after a three- active population in Sandžak is dents between members of ments that two countries have At that time, Serbia withdrew year absence. registered unemployed – some- Sandzak’s Party of Democratic signed will make it possible for ambassadors from all countries Initially, Serbia objected to the thing that fuels strong and vocal Action of Sandzak, led by jointly producing and selling which supported independent Bosnian candidate for the ambas- discontent. Sulejman Ugljanin, and the Social goods to third markets," he says. Kosovo. sador post in Belgrade, Borisa Indeed, the parading of Turkish Democratic Party of Serbia, led Just this summer, Ankara and However, the détente was con- Arnaut. Belgrade had a change of flags by many of Sandzak’s youth by Rasim Ljajic. Belgrade signed an agreement firmed when Abdullah Gul, the heart, apparently persuaded by after Turkey beat Serbia in the Only four years ago, during that will allow three major Turkish president, visited Ankara’s call to accept Arnaut in semi-finals of the World local parliamentary elections in Turkish construction companies – Belgrade in October 2009 – the the interests of improved rela- Basketball Championship, held in Novi Pazar, one of the candidates Kolin, Makwol and Juksel – to first such visit in 23 years. Both tions between Bosnia and Serbia. Istanbul on September 11, 2010, of the Party of Democratic Action build part of the planned 445km Gul and Boris Tadic, president of indicates just how high tensions of Sandzak for MPs was killed highway that will link Belgrade to Serbia, declared relations Sankzak dispute are in the region. near a polling station and another Bar, a city on the coast of neigh- between their two nations had While some locals dismiss this injured. Two years before that, bouring Montenegro. Y never been better. If Ankara’s involvement in apparently anti-Serb feeling as two people were seriously wound- As part of the deal, the Turkish The official visit was swiftly fol- Serbia’s foreign affairs is remark- merely reflective of the regions ed after a gun fight broke out dur- M companies are obliged to ensure lowed by regular trilateral meet- able, Turkish participation in close ties to Turkey, others claim ing election campaigning. C 45% of their subcontractors are ings of the foreign affairs minis- resolving Belgrade’s internal dis- it is partially inspired by the com- After several years of deep-seat- K Special Report December 10-16, 2010 15 for Belgrade and Ankara ed hostility, Rasim Ljajic and has been slowed down consider- Anti-Turk protests Sulejman Ugljanin now cooperate ably. As for Turkey, it appears that closely. there is no chance of full EU inte- And this lasting animosity Despite this, a much hoped for gration in foreseeable future, if at towards the Turks has continued reconciliation between two all,” says Professor Darko to find expression in present-day Muslim leaders in Sandzak - Tanaskovic, an expert in Oriental Serbia. When a Turkish investor Muamer Zukorlic and Adem Zilkic studies at the University of came to Serbia in 2009, intending - continues to elude negotiators. Belgrade and one-time Yugoslav to invest in the Bujanovacka Banja The Islamic community in ambassador to Ankara. spa resort in the south of the coun- Serbia is sharply divided. Muamer “Therefore, the project of bilat- try, the local population vocifer- Zukorlic is the leader of a party eral and multilateral cooperation ously protested any such sale to ‘a which regards Sarajevo, the capi- of these countries may develop Turk’. The investor duly changed tal of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as over time into an alternative to his mind. a centre of the Bosniak Islam com- European integration. Such The residents of Bujanovacka munity of Serbia, while Adem options have been discussed infor- Banja were far from alone in Zilkic, leads an Islamic communi- mally quite often.” resisting a renewed Turkish pres- ty that encompasses all Muslims However, while the political ence in the country. in Serbia – regardless of ethnicity elites and young students may be Illija Stankovic is a man in his or links to Turkey. more than willing to see Turkey re- mid-fifties from Pirot, a town in The Centre for Regionalism’s emerge as a political and economic the southeast of Serbia, 300 km Popov says that Ankaras’s role in power in the region, not all Serbs from Belgrade and close to the bor- stabilising the discord in Sandzak feel the same. Ankara’s battle for der with Bulgaria. has had a big impact – but will be the hearts and minds of everyday “It is only natural that I do not Professor Darko Tanaskovic, an expert in Oriental studies at the University of Belgrade limited in regards to the inter- Serbs is very far from over. fancy the idea of Turks investing Muslim dispute. In contrast to the younger gener- Alumni Initiative, established and draws its ambassador to in Serbia,” he says. “We have had supported by the Robert Bosch Ankara “If the conflicts between Rasim ation, many middle-aged Serbs them here for 500 years and what Ljajic and Sulejman Ugljanin had- still remember history lessons Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation. • Turkish president visits Serbia do we have to show for that? They in October 2009 – the first such n’t stopped, the situation in detailing many and various out- just exploited the common man Sandzak would be more complicat- rages committed during 500 years Serb-Turk relations: visit in 23 years and they want to do it again.” • Bosnian ambassador returned ed after Mufti Zukorlic brought direct Ottoman rule. Their ani- Present-day Turks, and especial- At a glance Sandzak to a boiling point. But mosity toward the Turk – a word to Belgrade after a three-year ly Turkish politicians and intellec- absence, following Turkish there is an impression that Turkey often used as term of abuse by • Relations between Ankara and tuals, need to understand that negotiation doesn’t want to get too involved in many Serbs – is far from fading. Belgrade hit an all-time low many people in the Balkans take • Ankara invited to negotiate the religious dispute, probably in Unlike the Turkish foreign after Turkish planes partici- an extremely dim view of peace deal between political order not to offend one or the other affairs minister, Ahmet pated in the 1999 Nato bombing Turkey’s Ottoman past which is factions in troubled Sandzak side in the Islam community or Davutoglu, who believes the of Serbia unlikely to change any time soon, region Belgrade.” Ottoman Empire was a golden age • Turkey becomes one of the warns Professor Tanaskovic. • Ankara and Belgrade signed a for the Balkans, most Serbs are first nations to recognise “Judging by certain statements free trade agreement in 2010, Common EU ambitions taught that the Ottomans were Kosovo’s unilateral declaration by Turkish officials and intellectu- paving the way for visa-free brutal occupiers, starting from of independence from Serbia als, and attitudes expressed in his- travel for citizens. Ankara’s ambition to join the primary school tory textbooks, it appears that in 2008 European Union, which is Every 10-year-old student in [Turkey wants]… exactly this • Serbia subsequently with- matched by Belgrade and other Serbia learns about The Killing of change in perspective. That is Balkan nations, is another moti- the Noblemen, a grisly event that expected from the non-Muslim vating force behind renewed rela- took place in Serbia in the 19th peoples of the Balkans.” tions and economic cooperation. century under Ottoman rule. The Tanaskovic stresses that many “We want peace and stability heads of janissary units known as people in the Balkans, especially because the western Balkans are Dahias killed around 100 Serbian those distrustful of Ankara’s very important to us, they are our leaders in just a few days. apparent support for fellow way to Europe”, explains former This event has been immor- Muslims in the region above oth- ambassador Umar. talised in a song written by the ers, will only see Turkey’s Balkan On the other hand, some ana- epic poet Filip Višnji , entitled The renaissance as a modern version lysts in Serbia say that the slow Beginning of the Uprising Against of the old Ottoman Empire. pace of EU integration has united the Dahias. It is included in pri- “The relations between Turkey candidates like Turkey and Serbia, mary school textbooks today and and Serbia might be quite harmo- Kosovo's only real Irish Pub... as they consider alternative reinforces the message that the nious in the long run, provided options and partnerships. Ottomans turned Serbs into “help- that Turkey gives up on its neo- “The tempo of integration… [of less commons, who will serve the Ottoman agenda. But this is quite the Western Balkans into the EU] Turks well”. unlikely to hap- pen,” says Tanaskovic. Every Thursday French restaurant Ici is launching a While the special Christmas menu with turkey, politicians may at 7.30pm mulled wine, boeuf Bourguignon and have cosied up For 20% off all bar food! fondu, served in a festively themed decor. to one another, it charity Also sample quality French delicacies seems Ankara is such as Foie Gras and fine cuts of meat, a long way off such as entrecote, at Kosovo’s best persuading all Serbs that politi- French restaurant, Ici. cal and econom- Ici also caters for cocktail parties with ic cooperation delicious finger food. will benefit both The restaurant is open every day from nations. 8am to 11pm, and on Sundays from 5pm, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This article was produced as part of the Next to EULEX Farmed Balkan Y 044 418 598 or 049 295515 Fellowship for Journalistic M [email protected] Excellence C K 16 December 10-16, 2010 Food & Drink Taverna Toscana: Not the Real Italian Job seeds that added textural contrast and a hint of outrage. This glorious meat had been cut into nuttiness to otherwise forgettable croquettes small pieces, interspersed with whole cloves of of a rich, creamy composition. garlic and covered in a sauce whose saltiness By Gravlax Grilled zucchini popped with hints of garlic, masked just about everything but violent gar- but limpness ultimately held back the thin lic surges. strips. It bordered on being a cruel joke. That a pig Textbook bruschetta execution couldn’t was slaughtered to this end is unconscionable. he trust between diner and restaurant compensate for mealy tomatoes, which begs The cause for which a cow gave its life was- is sacred and important. Customers the question of why anyone would serve a dish n’t much better, either. An otherwise good cut Tconfer upon chefs a responsibly of whose chief ingredient doesn’t pass muster. of beef also fell victim to a mushy coating and pleasing our palates. In return, we open our With the first course behind us, we waited 30 a sauce seemingly concocted for hypotension wallets accordingly. Taverna Toscana, the new Italian restaurant across from the minutes or so for the meal’s highlight: spaghet- patients in need of more sodium in their diets. American Embassy in Dragodan, asks for a ti with tomato sauce. And there was little refuge to be found in the big leap of faith and delivers mediocrity at a Breadcrumbs and grated hard cheese con- wilted greens accompanying the meats as steep price. spired with the bright, zesty sauce in service of whole cloves of garlic snuffed out most other A dish at Taverna Toscana Our dinner began with high hopes. There perfect al-dente pasta. Simple and delicious, flavors. were no menus as the chef emerged from the the spaghetti’s only fault was that it didn’t con- Especially after the entrée debacle, the idea might have been a pleasant surprise for a truly kitchen bearing a simple question: How hun- clude the meal, which would have been appro- of eating more was difficult to fathom. exceptional meal in Prishtina. gry are you? Famished, my fellow diner and I priate given the hefty portion size. However, Toscana insisted upon desert on the Places like Renaissance-II and Tiffany, were seduced by the sparse details in his offer In contrast to the inordinate wait time for house. Bananas sautéed with Grand Marnier which don’t print menus or make a point of of antipasto, pasta and “a little meat”. The the pasta, the next installment came all too served on a layer of pastry and covered in disclosing their prices, reward diners for their chef ’s showed confidence by assuming the role soon in the form of a two-pronged meat bom- chocolate proved to be a relatively pleasant leaps of faith by serving remarkable cuisine of decision maker, suggesting to me that this bardment. surprise. that’s almost distributing cheap. Toscana’s would be a great meal. With our bellies still very much full, the The chocolate and liquored-up bananas gift? A slap in the face. As we sipped glasses of the house red wine kitchen tasked us each with the consumption were delicious enough to compensate for cold, — an Italian with rich, deep fruit — the smoke- of a large cut of beef resembling steak au soggy pastry — but not for the meal as a whole. free Toscana offered an escape from Prishtina poivre, which was served with a pile of greens I had already felt wronged by Taverna Taverna Toscana in a mellow, red-accented interior adorned and some pork to boot. Toscana’s culinary sins, such as the lack of a RR. 24 maj, across from U.S. Embassy, with photos of Italy. Just the sight of pork — a rarity in basic understanding of flavour. Pristina The antipasto’s arrival yielded a trio of Prishtina — was enough to nearly overwhelm Then the bill erased my last shred of diner’s +377 (0) 44890678 promise, with mixed results. The chef ’s me with joy. trust. Forty-one euros for dinner for two, a 11:00 am - 11:00 pm, Monday through Macedonian origin came though in the poppy But that exultance turned to sadness and glass of wine apiece and a bottle of water Saturday. Where to pick up Prishtina Insight? Prishtina Insight has teamed up with these six excellent venues to offer a limited number of complimentary copies of Kosovo’s only English-language newspaper. Grab a copy of the publication and settle down with a drink or a meal to read it.

Cavallero Mexican Restaurant

You can almost transport yourself to the Mexican coast, with soaring palm trees and an immaculate five star resort, while dining at Cavallero Mexican Cantina. Mouth-watering appetizers and savoury main dishes are nicely washed down with countless cock- tail options and even imported Mexican beer. Skopje-based ‘Los Ritmos’ entertain diners every Friday and Saturday with their latin beats. For more information, visit their facebook page, or con- tact them. Paddy O’Brien’s Cavallero, Located next to the ex-UNMIK The staff at Paddy O’Brien’s building have a saying: “It’s easy to walk Prishtina in, but very hard to leave.” +386 49 619 375 And with its warm atmosphere, Facebook page fantastic range of drinks and excellent food, it is easy to see why. Cantina am-pm Restaurant Hotel AFA Te Komiteti There have been many attempts to establish a proper Irish pub in Cantina AM-PM, formerly known as Located in a quiet neighbourhood just Te Komiteti’s large trees and a beauti- Prishtina, but this is the only one Mexican Cantina, recently went through a outside the city centre, Hotel Afa can guar- fully garden, which surround the small to hit the spot. transfer to new management, and although antee guests a peaceful night while being outdoor terrace, give you an impression From classic coffees to cock- hardly noticeable from a distance, the new within walking distance of all the action. of an exclusive place for ordinary peo- tails, via, of course, Guinness, owners have transformed the venue into a The venue has won a host of awards for its ple. And this is exactly what it is. From you really wont find it difficult to more grown-up affair with good, cheap food. excellent service to customers and offers a brunch to lunch-time snacks and special select the perfect drink. Cantina offers Mexican dishes at reasonable good range of facilities, from an exclusive evening meals, this restaurant offers A mouth-watering menu of prices, starting from less than 5 euro. Although restaurant and VIP dishes comprising quality, varied ingre- Irish specialties is also on offer, the majority of the food is Mexican-influenced, bar to pretty, tranquil dients, combined to perfection. spanning from all-day breakfasts Cesar salad and pizza have been included too. garden. Rooms start at Alongside one of Prishtina’s best ‘mod- to Irish stews at night. Mexican favourites 45 euro for a single, ern European’ Options include shepherd’s pie, served up at Cantina and luxury rooms and style menus, bangers and mash, fish ‘n chips, include tortilla, thicker apartments are avail- you’ll also find a and whopping great burgers. pan-friend tortilla, able. The hotel’s rooms good selection of Thursday is pub quiz night, but nacho chips and burri- are well appointed and wine, and great there is always something going to. Cantina’s also offers comfortable. sangria and cock- on at the pub, whether it is sport a very pleasant area for 15, Rr Ali Kelmendi, tails . screenings or just a good shindig. al fresco dining. Sunny Hill, Te Komiteti Paddy O’Brien’s Cantina AM-PM Prishtina Qamil Hoxha Tringe Smajli Street, by the Rr Qamil Hoxha +381 38/225 226 Street Illyria Hotel Y Prishtina www.hotelafa.com Prishtina Prishtina M +377 49 710 710 +381 38 24 96 63 045-420900 C K By Shengjyl Osmani December 10-16, 2010 17 in Prishtina Timeout Contact Prishtina Insight if you would like your event to feature or to advertise your venue. Email [email protected]

Theatre Schedule - Kosovo Art National Theatre of Kosovo Gallery: Monday, December 13, 2010 Fadil Hysaj. from 8 pm The play will also be shown CIRCLE (Blue Room) play on Saturday, December 18, Exhibitions: from David Hare, directed by same time, same place. Agnes Nokshiq. Tuesday, December 14, 2010 For ticket reservations call 038 rom December 9, 2010 from 8 pm, 224 397/243 930 or 044 430 693, go Adem Dernaku will show Premiere of the National to the National Theatre of Fhis personal exhibition in Ensemble “Shota”. Kosovo between 10 am – 1 pm or 5 the Kosovo Art Gallery. The Friday, December 17, 2010 pm – 8 pm, or send an email at exhibition will close on from 8 pm [email protected]. To December 24. Premier of the theatre play check out their monthly pro- Adem Dermaku is a young “Lidhje Gjaku” (consanguinity) gramme, visit their official web artist who has already had 70 from Sharon Pollock, directed by page at www.teatrikombetar.eu. exhibitions around the world, among others in , Albania, Macedonia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Spain and Japan. For the first time his work is shown in the Kosovo Art Gallery. Take this opportunity to admire his work!

From Friday, December 10, ABC Cinama will broadcast the science- fiction action film “Resident Evil: Afterlife”, daily at 6 and 8 pm. While still out to destroy the evil Umbrella Corporation, Alice, played by the charismatic Milla Jovovich, sets off to Alaska in search of a zombie paradise known as Arcadia. The fight continues in Los Angelas, where she teams up with a remarkable group of survivors.

Prishtina Diary

Friday, December 10, 2010, from 9 pm Sing your heart out at Filikaqa’s Karaoke night

Friday, December 10, 2010, from 10 pm The Freelancers will perform live at Kontra Bar. At the 'SkenaUp 2010 party, the popular band will perform some of their newest songs, alternated by some old-time favourites from 'The Smiths' & 'Joy Division'. Don’t miss it!

Saturday, December 11, 2010, from 8 pm Oda theatre knows how to ABC Cinema also continues broadcasting the film “Eat, Pray, Love” enterain you with their ‘Voto se every day at 10 pm. s’bon ndryshe’ party, with Y For ticket reservations call 038 243 117 or visit Toton, Jericho & Gillespie. M www.kinoabc.info C K 18 December 10-16, 2010 Inside Prishtina Acupuncture Bar Review: “Acupuncture changed my life”, states Angela Mazer from UNDP. Sabaja

he formerly unappealing The atmosphere is eclectic- hinterland between the cool, with a hotchpotch of trin- By Inge Baanders TGrand Hotel and the kets and lights, photos and other EULEX police building is turn- scatter cushions. ing into quite a hot spot for The bar has a fine selection of cupuncture forms one of nightlife. alcoholic drinks, but also serves the key components of Following hot on the heels of up excellent coffee and snacks all Atraditional Chinese medi- Undergrand and The Cuban, at reasonable prices. cine and is among the oldest Sabaja hopes to profit from the This venue isn’t going to set healing practices in the world. growing popularity of this the city’s nightlife on fire, but it It is generally described as the strange, but quintessentially does present a pleasant option for stimulation of specific points of Prishtina grouping of venues. a quite drink or coffee in comfort- the body in the treatment of Along a potholed, often puddle- able, stylish surroundings. various physical and mental strewn path from opposite the conditions. New Born statue is Sabaja, a Sabaja Bar, Acupuncture aims at balancing small but perfectly formed joint. Next to The Cuban, Prishtina the energy flowing through the body, regulated by the opposing forces of yin (symbolising the pas- sive, feminine side) and yang (rep- resenting the active and manly side). Over the last few decades, acupuncture has found its way to the West and the World Health Organisation has recognised it as a treatment for a range of ail- ments. It has now also arrived in Prishtina thanks to Lulzim Mripa. Ask around, and you will be amazed how many people have tried it, and, almost without excep- tion, have had good experiences. “I was a bit hesitant at first, but found that it really did have a pos- itive effect on me,” one friend con- fided. Lulzim graduated from the London College of Traditional Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 1999, after which he followed further training in Chinese acupuncture chart Japanese-style acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in riencing severe headaches and had Hanghzou, China. Lulzim prac- been to so many doctors that pre- tised acupuncture for several scribed very heavy medication years in London but moved back to that had no effect in stopping the Unwind at Prishtina’s Prishtina where he has been run- pain. Over the years, whenever I ning the Mripa clinic since 2004. have episodes when my headaches The small clinic is located close have returned I go to a few to the National Theatre and radi- acupuncture sessions and the pain only Thai Massage ates a calm atmosphere which is significantly reduced.” makes you forget you are in chaot- e all have them: days She adds: “When I found out that ic Prishtina. You first trade your where we feel tired, Luli was practising here in shoes for comfy slippers and take Wstressed or restless your place on the sofa, accompa- Prishtina, through a local col- for no particular reason. nied by Luli and a list of ques- league who was very satisfied with There are many different ways tions: “We aim to direct the treat- her experience, I was eager to go. It to deal with these feelings, but ment at the root of the problem has been a very positive experi- few rival in efficiency a Thai rather than addressing symptoms ence and there is no doubt that my massage. only when they appear in order to headaches have improved and my Located on the first floor of achieve a fundamental cure.” overall sense of stress is much less. the Qafa building is the Thai Lulzim continues: “Everybody and “Luli has a tremendous under- Massage salon. Let yourself be everybody is different and thus standing of Chinese medicine and lured into a wonderful state of requires a different approach.” is intuitive about his patient’s relaxation and step inside. The treatment forces you to needs,” she continues. A small team of professional relax as you are lying down with The Mripa clinic treats various masseurs is ready to help you needles in your body (try not to ailments from headaches, back truly relax and escape, even if wriggle your feet). While you problems, anxiety and allergies. just for half an hour, from daily might expect that it is rather diffi- Lulzim tells Prishtina Insight: worries. cult to relax with needles in your “Our aim is to provide a calm, Stepping into one of the wood- body, the treatment gives you a relaxing space which can help you en cubicles, you change your warm, tingling feeling flowing escape from your day-to-day mat- clothes for a comfortable outfit, through you which allows you to ters, as well as help you find ways lie down and surrender to the let your thoughts drift off. to improve your well-being”. masseuse, while you feel the ten- In case you’re already fed up ranging from 15 euro for a 30- Lulzim explains that although Curious to experience this tradi- sion easing away. with the nearing winter weath- minute shoulder massage to 60 he has always been busy, people tional treatment? The Mripa clin- The salon offers a wide vari- er, treat yourself to a body scrub euro for a two-hour Swedish are increasingly becoming aware ic is open from Monday to Friday, 9 ety of options, running from a or facial treatment to feel massage. of the advantages of acupuncture am to 7 pm and can be reached on foot or shoulder/neck massage refreshed and prepare your skin over conventional medicine. 038 246 423. to different full body massages; for the cold. Sala Thai Massage Salon, Y Angela Mazer, one of Lulzim’s opt for the traditional Thai mas- The good thing is that you do First Floor Qafa Building M clients, confirms this: “I have Mripa Clinic sage, the special aromatherapy not have to feel guilty about Open every day from 11 am to C been getting acupuncture on and 84, Bajram Kelmendi Street, massage or the Swedish mas- treating yourself; the Thai salon 11 pm K off for nearly ten years. I was expe- Prishtina sage. charges very reasonable fees 044-168 521 city December 10-16, 2010 19 Crystal Whitaker Kosovo Police Shamed by of Cultural Heritage without Borders Police Assault Video A Youtube clip of a man being punched in the face has highlighted problem of Kosovo's rogue cops. Kosovo police say they are shamed by recently released video footage showing a middle-aged man being punched in the face by a police offi- cer in the western city of Peja. The footage, dated July 6, 2010 and recently uploaded onto Youtube, shows Bekim Muqaj striking the

man without warning in the court of: the Eyes through Prishtina building in Peja. After the incident, the policeman allegedly called for police backup, What surprised you most about Prishtina? claiming he had been assaulted by I first came here last year, backpacking on my own, and was the man who was, in fact, his victim. relieved to discover how safe it was, and how widely English "When we saw the tape the next is spoken. Its cosmopolitanism reassured me after a pretty day, we were shocked,” Xhevat Ibraj, stressful (but beautiful) journey through northern Albania Peja police spokesperson, told involving ferries and strangers' cars. Everyone says this, but Prishtina Insight. Ibraj said Muqaj it's still the energy of the place and the warmth of the people had already been sacked after the Video footage of a middle age man being punched repeatedly by a Kosovo police officer that surprise and charm me. You can't help but bump into a police inspectorate ruled that he had familiar face who greets you like a long-lost cousin. I get the gained a reputation for abusing his cil, Behgjet Shala, noted that during committed a grave violation, leaving feeling that there's still more to surprise me, which is why I police uniform. "He clearly thought 2010 some 11 other cases were his unnamed victim injured. keep coming back. The man had come to the court he would escape this time too, reported to them concerning undue building to visit a relative and was thinking no one was there and no use of force by police. What's your favourite hangout? there on business. The reason for one would witness it," the source Shala said that not one case had I seem to go to Traffic, Tingell and Crème de la Crème quite told Prishtina Insight. "He appar- ended with the punishment of the the attack is unknown. The video a bit at the moment. Ditë e Natë is perfect when there's a film ently filed a suit against the person alleged offender by the police footage does not include a sound screening, discussion or poetry meeting too. But I still enjoy who uploaded the clip onto inspectorate. “This is worrying recording of the scene. taking shortcuts (often not making my journey any easier, Youtube." because there are policemen known "I don’t know what the reasons however) and stumbling across some little cafe with cool The Council for the Defence of for their wrongdoings, and they are [for the assault] were. Check with music and a little terrace - those hidden ones in the middle of Human Rights and Freedom in just getting more immunity,” Shala the court because the case was sent the housing blocks, or what looks like a car park. And that Prishtina described the case as told Prishtina Insight. there,” Ibraj said. tiny bar whose name I never remember, where there's a little "scandalous". The head of the coun- A police source said Muqaj had wood-burning stove, large sculptural candles and jazz on vinyl. Needless to say the raki's pretty good there too.

Do you do anything cultural? Prishtina’s Heavy Rainfall Apart from working with cultural heritage?! Actually, the constant film festivals and themed screenings are always tempting to dip in to - whether the Roma Rolling films, the 4Tuned series, or those European ones at ABC. But the best Sparks Flood Review thing I've seen recently was a performance of The Blood Shirt, Three families are still not able to through, so it flooded many neigh- a dance-theatre performance that combined an interpretation return to their homes as a result of bourhoods with narrow streets, of the Kanun of Lek Dukagjin with elements from the downpour. which have houses built right next Shakespeare's tragedies. It was set in the kitchen of the Emin Gjiku house in the Ethnological Museum and was incredibly Agim Gashi, head of the munici- to the street.” By Shengjyl Osmani powerful - and my lack of Albanian didn't detract from the pal directorate for public service, The six families in the Kolovica drama of it. I hope they do more events and happenings like defence and rescue, told Prishtina neighbourhood were evacuated Insight: “At the moment all the that in found spaces around the town. when up to 200 square metres of rishtina Municipality will municipal inspectors are working land flooded. What's the most annoying thing about Prishtina? hold a review of its flood on evaluating the costs from the The mud. The potholes. Cheap shoes that have holes in them Pdefences and assess compensa- damages, and we have evacuated all Next Tuesday, the municipality (this might be my fault). That enormous puddle in the pave- tion to families following last the families which have been seri- will meet with the local council for ment opposite Bosna in Pejton. It gets me every time. I've Friday’s heavy rainfall. ously affected by rainfall floods. security and communities in order found a solution in wrapping plastic bags around my feet, A number of areas of the city “Because of narrow street drains, to review the situation after the inside my boots. were flooded as torrential rain hit which have been covered mostly floods and decide on compensating Kosovo’s capital, flooding six homes. with garbage, the water didn’t seep the families. If you were mayor of Prishtina for the day, what would you change? I'm an architect - don't get me started on this one! I'd proba- bly hold lots of simultaneous, small-scale ideas workshops to find out what people value in Pristina, special little moments or histories in their city that should be used to guide the big masterplans. Otherwise, I'd hold a party for everyone to plant lots of trees everywhere. Official guerilla gardening.

How many macchiatos do you drink a day? Unfortunately not so many at the moment as my job takes me from place to place, but a couple of cups of Nescafe or Turkish coffee seem to be my quota. A friend has just brought back a load of Earl Grey tea from the UK so I am starting to establish my English credentials in the office by walking around with a steaming cuppa.

What's the tastiest Kosovar food? Definitely spinach byrek or pite, but I think that's because I have a mild obsession with leafy greens. Someone at the CHwB kulla in Dranoc picked mulberries from the garden there this summer and made an amazing compote, to accom- pany flija and ice cream. Not traditional perhaps, but I highly recommend experimenting.

What landmark do you use to tell taxi drivers where Y you live? M Recently it's been Slovenia Sports but that's all about to C Almost 50 homes were flooded in Prishtina last week after heavy rain change K If you would like your NGO to appear in 20 December 10-16, 2010 our Making a Difference feature, please Opinion email [email protected] Will Serbs End Tradition of Outside In The Importance Kosovo Election Boycotts? of Elections A growing number of Serbian political actors, both in Kosovo and Serbia, realise that the policy of boycotting Kosovar institutions is in fact a denial of reality on the ground. Serbian leaders south of the Ibar have been championed uncompromising stances on the increasingly geared toward a pragmatic poli- problem of Serbian participation have this cy of focusing more on practical issues. They time adopted an ambivalent or lukewarm By Kreshnik Hoxha By Apostolis Karabairis advocate Serbian participation in Kosovar posture. Such stances were observed among elections, so that they have their own repre- all parties of the Democratic Party-led gov- sentatives in the public bodies that decide erning coalition and even among the opposi- he long-awaited extraordinary their fate. tion Serbian Progressive Party. elections are now on our doorstep. The most prominent actor in this direction To these parties one can add the Serbian TWith a considerable number of EU nap elections in Kosovo, planned for monitors landing in Kosovo to keep an December 12, will be the first parlia- has been the Independent Liberal Party, a Renewal Movement and the Liberal eye on this important test for Kosovo’s Smentary race after Kosovo’s unilateral Serbian party founded by Slobodan Petrovic Democratic Party, which have unreservedly statehood can we really afford to mess it declaration of independence in 2008. in Gracanica, the biggest Serbian enclave in supported Serbian participation in the elec- up? Similar to previous electoral cycles, the central Kosovo. tions. In the end, only the Democratic Party It has been an eventful three-month for event has rekindled the debate on Serbian Since its foundation, this party has effec- of Serbia, the Serbian Radical Party and New Kosovo’s political scene which will soon participation. tively integrated itself into the Kosovar party Serbia remained adamant in strongly oppos- be faced with its next challenge – the first Should Serbs claim their own share of system and, thanks to extensive application ing any Serbian participation in the elec- general elections in an independent of ethnic quotas and its status as one of the tions. power in the Kosovo administration by com- Kosovo and without OSCE supervision. few participating Serbian parties, had its rep- The Serbian government for its part hesi- peting in the elections? Or should they boy- The fact that Kosovo could not even keep resentatives elected or appointed in several tated before issuing a final statement regard- cott elections, since the posts at stake belong its coalition for a full mandate has to the institutions of the self-proclaimed public bodies. It is also perhaps the party that ing the Kosovo elections. This delay spoke already been a strong point of criticism Republic of Kosovo, which they do not recog- cooperates best with the other major Kosovar volumes about Belgrade’s apparent shift in by many and has raised questions with nise? Albanian parties. tactics. In previous Kosovo elections, Serbian regards to Kosovo’s maturity in its state- If they opt for the first, they contradict The Independent Liberals are not alone in governments quickly called for boycotts. hood. their refusal to recognise the independent supporting Serbian participation in the elec- This time, the government spokesperson Another point of view is that Kosovo has Kosovar state, whereas if they opt for the sec- tions. Many Serbian politicians south of the again stated that the conditions for the Serbs’ set a brilliant example on how a constitu- ond option they totally exclude themselves Ibar believe that their inclusion in Kosovo’s participation in Kosovo elections have not tional breach by the President should be from the bodies that exercise de facto power institutions will enable them to deliver more been fulfilled. But he did so only one day handled – albeit it took two years to on issues that immediately concern them. to their fellow Serbs. before the deadline expired for the registra- realise that Fatmir Sejdiu’s misde- To date, the official Belgrade line has been They maintain that, since real power lies tion of candidates. meanour. that the only legal institutions in Kosovo are with the Kosovo institutions, only by engag- This slow reaction was described as mild However, the past now should serve as those of the Serbian state, which exist paral- ing with them can they ensure the survival of and lacking resolve, especially in light of positive energy for our next challenge on lel to the Kosovar ones in certain Serb-inhab- their community. Belgrade officials’ clarifications that any Sunday, which could possibly determine ited areas. This policy, though, does not mean that deviation from its line will not be sanctioned, Kosovo’s fate as a success or failure from Therefore, those who remain loyal to their they favour Kosovo’s independence or that but instead will be met with consideration, an international perspective. homeland must boycott all institutions of the they do not honour Serbian parallel struc- given the difficult predicament of the Kosovo Along with 120 EU monitoring teams, Kosovar state, including elections. Serbs tures. Serbs. Kosovo has witnessed an influx of jour- nalists from across the world eager to north of river Ibar, in North Mitrovica, The leading figure among the Kosovo Serb Kosovo Serbs have interpreted the signals report the proceedings of the elections. Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan have gen- politicians is Rada Trajkovic, former presi- coming from Serbia proper in various ways. The 2009 elections lucidly demonstrated erally followed Belgrade’s directives. dent of the Executive Board of the Serbian Advocates of election boycotts north of the that polling stations across Kosovo were After all, they themselves contributed in National Council, the political steering and Ibar hailed the negative assessment by the not safe from major interferences from coordinating body of the Kosovo Serbs. government and asked it to demonstrate shaping this policy. Adjacent to Serbia proper, party militants. They also reflected how Northern Kosovo remains a de facto exten- Trajkovic served in this post up until last more resolution against the Prishtina-organ- alert monitors must be in their report- sion of the Serbian state. Apart from the year, when she was expelled following her ised electoral process. ing. international presence there, nothing else running in Kosovo’s local elections. In the rest of Kosovo, though, Serbs who In a post-independent Kosovo the most binds the area to the rest of Kosovo. In these elections she launched the United submitted their candidates’ lists a few hours minor issue that could arise will hit the The Serbian state retains its own struc- Serbian List, an all-, in order to main- before the expiration of the deadline focused international media and will reflect on tures in these areas despite Prishtina’s per- tain the Serbian constituency undivided and on the change of course: for them, Belgrade’s our maturity as a state and as a nation. sistent efforts to establish Kosovo institutions hence stronger. Her aim is to gather the most statement that the conditions have not been The message Kosovo sends on Sunday is there. prominent and active members of the fulfilled constitutes merely an assessment of paramount for all those sceptical coun- The intransigent Serbs of the territories Serbian community in Kosovo from across the situation; it is not a prohibition or dis- tries that still contemplate recognising north of the Ibar will most likely continue the the political spectrum, irrespective of their couragement for Serbs to participate. Kosovo’s statehood. policy of boycott. Institutions, such as the party affiliations in Serbia proper. All told, it would be unrealistic to expect Another key point to be outlined is the Serbian National Council and the Assembly She is a fervent advocate of Serbs’ massive the Serbian government to contradict its turnout. Over the last elections we have of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, participation in the upcoming elections, standard policy of non-recognition of Kosovo witnessed a downward or stagnating have officially called on Serbs to abstain in because, as she claims, they must elect not by calling on the Kosovo Serbs to participate. trend in the overall turnout in general the forthcoming elections and have persist- only more deputies to the Kosovo parliament, But its mild and irresolute reaction could be elections. This sends negative vibes that ently sought an assertive statement from but also those that are not Prishtina’s puppets interpreted as a silent endorsement of its the politicians in Kosovo have lost their Belgrade against participation in the process. but genuine representatives of Serbian inter- Kosovo brethren’s participation in the elec- last traces of credibility in relation to the However, south of the river Ibar things are ests. tions. nation and as a result they don’t appeal to us anymore. different. Serbs there live scattered in con- Similar views are shared by several other A growing number of Serbian political What we must ensure is that there is an fined enclaves within Albanian-dominated Serbian leaders south of the Ibar, many of actors, both in Kosovo and Serbia proper, intense mobilisation of the nation to areas, so retaining their parallel structures is whom have staffed the Prishtina-sponsored realise that the policy of boycotting Kosovar encourage people to participate. The much more difficult. municipal authorities in central Gracanica, institutions is in fact a denial of the reality on political spectrum in Kosovo has been Physical isolation renders contact with east Novo Brdo, Ranilug, Klokot-Vrbovac, the ground, and it leads to a stalemate, which widely enriched with new political fig- their Albanian surroundings necessary in Partes and south Strpce. comes ultimately at the expense of the Serbian ures in all political parties and therefore order to address their everyday needs. In this Among the most active of these Serbian presence there. The position on Serbian par- there is choice for all those that want to light, it is obvious that they cannot normalise leaders is Randjel Nojkic, president of the ticipation may mark a broader, gradual vote. their lives unless they come to terms with the provincial branch of the Serbian Renewal change of Belgrade’s policy towards Kosovo. We all know that voting is our democrat- Kosovar institutions. Movement, a small right-wing Serbian party, Apostolis Karabairis is Junior Researcher ic obligation and we, as a self-announced As a result, Serbs south of the Ibar often known for being an ardent champion of con- at the Athens Working Group: Transforming democratic country, should demonstrate tend to deviate from Belgrade’s official line cessions and compromise on the Kosovo the Balkans, a programme of the Hellenic our efforts in executing our democratic and make deals with institutions that are not issue. Centre for European Studies: obligation. officially recognised by their top leaders. In Belgrade, parties that have previously http://www.ekemprogram.org/csis/ We cannot afford apathy – because that would legitimise the claims that Kosovo did not deserve its independence. Clarification The only thing we have to do is to vote! TEDxPrishtina, like every TEDx event, is “independently organized event”. TEDxPrishtina borrows the successful for- Because if nothing at all, voting will connected to the TED Conference only TEDxPrishtina is fully planned and coordi- mat of TED in order to provide a platform ensure that you have a good reason to Y through the license granted by the latter nated independently by a group of volun- for people near and far from Prishtina, who moan for the next mandate and raise M and a set of general guidelines governing teers. believe in TED's mission of "ideas worth awareness among your nation. C the event. Any headline or text which implies “TED” spreading," to stimulate dialogue about K Please note that the ‘x’ in ‘TEDx’ stands for is coming to Prishtina is misleading. pressing issues. December 10-16, 2010 21 NGO Focus If you would like your NGO to appear in our Making a Difference feature, please email [email protected] FIDES: Building a Ecosovo Philanthropic Society Green drinks said: "For these 10 years we stayed He added that Kosovar society true to our mission, every time we should recognise and reward those By Elizabeth Gowing have tried to be independent and pro- who give and called for society to By Lawrence Marzouk fessional in our work, working in col- “create a new system of values”. laboration with others, institutions, “Among the many philanthropists, onight – Friday 10 December from 5.30pm at Traffic Bar, and organisations, local and internation- tonight I want to single out symbols monthly thereafter al, and especially with our people of this country who are Hasan T he founder of a humanitarian from all over Kosovo.” Pristina and Proffesor Anton Cetta,” No, I don’t mean gooseberry juice, kiwi smoothie, or even that association which has built 70 “We are very happy that FIQ contin- Abazi said. extraordinary Balkan fizzy ‘apple’ pop which is the same colour Thomes for the homeless in the ues the tradition started last year in “With these two names, and many as a go traffic light, and gets your heart racing in just the same past five years was among the win- honouring Kosovar business and others, Kosovo can show that philan- way. ners at the second yearly award cere- tireless individuals who, through thropy has always been part of life Nor am I just talking about locally-sourced water - though while mony to celebrate and foster philan- their work, are making Kosovo a bet- and culture in Kosovo.” I’m on the subject, have you challenged the cafes who import San thropy in Kosovo. ter place to live.” Meridian company won the FIDES Pellegrino for you, despite the availability of Kllokot, Dea, Akull, FIDES 2010 was organised on Haki Abazi, Rockerfeller Brothers national prize for its important Bonita, Rugova, and many other excellent local alternatives? December 1 in Prishtina by the Fund director for the Western social activities and Kulla Exim By ‘Green drinks’ I don’t just mean Stone Castle and Eko wine Forum for Civic Iniatives, FIQ, Balkans, which supports the award, secured the local award for its work rather than wine whose journey across Europe to get here leaves which was also celebrating its tenth said it was a pleasure to be part of an in the Decan area, supporting cultur- a trail of pollution in its wake, whatever it might leave lingering anniversary that night. event which promotes the institu- al activities, infrastructure and Ferdinand Nikolla, FIQ director, tionalisation of philanthropy. youth. on the palate. This is not just an article about Peja beer rather The second award was given by Dale than imported equivalents, or about the delicious Frutomania Pfeiffer, former director of USAID in 100% apple and cherry fruit juice that’s made in Gjilan and now Kosovo, who argued that philanthro- on sale in Maxi, making truly local fruit juice available at last in py was the glue that holds society Kosovo. together and keeps it focused on ‘Green drinks’ is a bigger phenomenon than any of these. working for the common good. Worldwide, 430 cities are members of the Green Drinks movement The Philanthropy Award Anton – you can find out more at www.greendrinks.org. And now Cetta was won by Milaim Jashari, Prishtina has joined them. the founder of the humanitarian The Green Drinks movement is a way of organising a regular association Phoenix in Ferizaj, informal networking opportunity for people who care about green which has helped build 70 houses for issues. It takes place once a month, at a regular venue, and is for the homeless in the past five years. people interested in the environment as consumers, campaigners, Doni Cetta, the daughter of Anton, politicians, businesses, NGOs, media, donors, policy makers or who is perhaps best known for his simple citizens. work in the 90s tackling blood feuds, People attending Green Drinks are asked to plan their journey stressed that Kosovo needs to recog- considering the environment – come on foot, bring your bike or nise the good sides of its society. use a bus (or a taxi, if there are enough passengers to justify it). “We highly appreciate this step to After the first event, attendees are encouraged to bring a friend, to turn public attention to our social enrich the mix and spread the word. values inherited over centuries. The Philanthropy Award Anton Cetta demonstrates a strong commitment And why is such an event necessary? from individuals to tirelessly build a more dignified life, where the focus From my experience in Kosovo, I don’t think it’s an exaggera- of activity is to improve the liveli- tion to say that civil society here is never going to achieve any sig- hood of the people of Kosovo." nificant change in the way green issues are approached, until all The crowd applauds at the second FIDES awards the actors are better informed, better co-ordinated, better trusting of one another. It is irresponsible and certainly disrespectful for any single NGO or donor, individual or campaigner, to start an ini- NGO News tiative without first being aware of what else is going on in the sector. And yet that is what so often happens. Sometimes it almost seems to be a badge of pride, for an organisation to take the lead, duplicating what is already being done, maybe even then UN Highlights Violence taking credit for it. That is a wasteful use of resources – and the green movement above all should be mindful of the use of resources. The slogan of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ should apply to human effort and ideas as much as to physical materials and ener- against Women gy. Kosovo’s first Green Drinks aims to reduce duplication, to reuse 16-day campaign to highlight national institutions, women’s ing between international and local and recycle good ideas. The aim is that everyone who comes violence against women is to organisations, EUSR, EULEX, OSCE, organisations engaged in security should meet someone new, should introduce themselves to some- Acome to an end today. NATO and UN. issues and to promote joint strategic one who can help them, that everyone present can share concerns Unifem in Kosovo has held a series The aim of the group is to enhance actions aimed at increasing women’s and solutions – and everyone can raise a glass together. of events from November 25 to coordination and information shar- safety and security in Kosovo. The event is open to all. Come along from 5.30pm today, Friday December 10, Human Rights Day, 10 December. Or if you can’t make it today, get in touch with The tackling the issue of gender violence. Ideas Partnership who will add you to the mailing list for the next In Kosovo, more than 1,000 cases of Green Drinks, in January. Tell your friends and colleagues. domestic violence are reported to the And why today? It certainly wasn’t planned deliberately to police every year, but many more go coincide with peak election campaigning in Kosovo, but the unreported. launch today shares the date with Terra Madre day, the day when More needs to be done to protect ‘good, clean and fair’ food is celebrated worldwide through the the women of Kosovo from such inci- Slow Food movement. Anyone at Traffic Bar this evening will dents, according to Unifem. have a chance not only to network and drink green, but also to In Kosovo, members of the taste some of Kosovo’s best, cleanest and fairest fare. Security and Gender Coordination Traffic Bar is downstairs in the same building as ProCredit Group will be supporting this global bank opposite the RTK building near the Grand Hotel. Next to campaign by organising a number of ProCredit bank, in the direction of the Grand activities that will take place in Hotel, are two burek shops. Between them is a door that opens many different areas of Kosovo. to a staircase going down. At the foot of the staircase, on the These include debates, discussions right, is Traffic Bar. and the launch of a documentary on the new domestic violence law. Elizabeth Gowing is a founder member of The Ideas The Security and Gender Partnership, a Kosovan NGO working on educational, cultural Coordination Group (SGCG) is com- and environmental projects. She can be reached at theideaspart- posed of representatives from An event held as part of the campaign against domestic violence [email protected] 22 December 10-16, 2010 guide Macedonia Opens Door To Secret Hunting Ground Once the exclusive preserve of politicians, presidents and foreign royals, the Jasen game park is starting to welcome more ordinary visitors these days. lying 1,200 metres above sea level, has long been a secret world. For decades the Jasen game-park was strictly off limits to the public, By Sase Dimovski patrolled by the Yugoslav army and then by the Macedonian police. But today, it is slowly open- ar from the prying eyes of ing its gates to less exalted visitors. the general public, wealthy Fbusinessmen, royals and for- The park, reserved for VIP eign president have hunted deer, guests, has been completely off Deer at the Jasen game park, closed to the public for decades chamois, mouflon, wild boar, bears limits for ordinary visitors until and an assortment of game birds 2005. The fees are different depending known about Jasen, whose distin- rounded by wire. in Macedonia’s Jasen park chase. Visitors need to obtain special on whether you are planning just a guished former guests include “They recognise the sound of Though only half an hour’s licenses to visit the park in groups quick stroll, a lunch or other activ- Cuban President Raul Castro, our vehicle because they know we drive form the capital city of under the watchful eye of the secu- ity. Fidel Castro’s brother. are bringing food but we have to be Skopje,.the 36,000 hectare park, rity guards. International hunters have long Other VIP visitors include the very quiet if we want them to former mayor of Moscow, Juri come,” whispers Rade, an experi- Lushkov, the Swarovskis, father enced guard who knows every and son, and a Moroccan princess inch of the mountain and the ani- who arrived with a team of 40 mals that live there. “We leave the aides and security people. food and then we leave.” While Balkan Insight team visit- After a short drive, an adult ed Jasen, the final preparations female deer moves in front of our were being done to welcome a vehicle, stopping only 50 metres Russian VIP. Menus were being away. A male deer with large drawn up to suit the wishes of the antlers follows. guest who flew into Skopje on a The number of small horns on private jet with his wife and inter- the antler is a guide to the ani- preter. While the hunter explored mal’s age. We counted seven, the grounds and tried out the which means the male was about guns, a guide took his wife out seven years old. Then a whole herd shopping in Skopje. of around 50 deer appears. This guest planned to hunt Alarmed, they scatter, only to chamois and mouflon, for which return five minutes later, after he was prepared to pay 6,000 euro. we’ve dropped corn at the feeding For a whole week’s stay in Jasen, a ground. group of Russian businessme paid After having spotted the deer, we around 200,000 euro. leave to visit the feeding ground of “Most of our hunters have no the wild boar. After a long drive, lack of money and even hire heli- we see two large boar and eight copters for their wives to see smaller ones. They run fast, mak- Skopje or Ohrid,” Mihail Malahov, ing it hard to count them. manager of Jasen, said. The boar in Jasen are a pure If a hunter wants to take his tro- breed and are much sought after phy home, which costs extra, by managers of other Balkan Jasen will prepare a certificate hunting grounds, wanting live and take care of the customs pro- samples for breeding. To respond cedures, so that the hunter can to the demand, Jasen plans to start take his trophy without any red breeding animals for sale to other tape. hunting grounds and zoos. Even today, visitors cannot just Game hunters are not the only stroll into Jasen. They need to people interested in the park. obtain a permit and then show Scientists and conservationists their ID on arrival. are also involved. Many butterflies Malahov says it’s good that the and insects can only be found in park has been off-limits for so Jasen. 80 Per cent of the 200 butter- long. “It is good that this hunting fly species in Macedonia live there. ground has been rigorously con- The Spermophilus, a rare type of trolled because now we have thou- ground squirrel, can also be found sands of hectares of untouched in the park. nature in the heart of Macedonia,” A total of 28 protected animal he said. “It’s home to many plants species live in Jasen, as well as 80 and animals that can’t be seen any- types of birds. As for bears, they where else in the world,” he added. are a familiar sight. Recently, staff Two-storey lodges decorated say, two cubs searching for food with hunting trophies, are all came to the lower parts of the equipped with satellite TVs, tele- hunting ground. phones and internet, though most “We want to break the myth that visitors don’t have time to use we’re hiding something in Jasen,” them. says Malahov. “But we have to take Y About a kilometre from the VIP care not to lose what has been pre- M lodges lies the feeding ground of served all these years. We want to C the deer, roebuck and mouflon. An create a place that everyone can K area of 1,800 hectares, it is sur- enjoy.” December 10-16, 2010 23 Classified Contact Prishtina Insight if you would like to advertise Email [email protected]

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