By the time you will be reading this, I will already have left Prishtina. Sadly enough.
This doesn't mean that it will be the end of the news publishing on this blog. This evening I'm taking a day off in Belgrade, and on Sunday I will be back in Belgium. This day, or Monday, the rest of my reporting will follow. Plus analysis of my journey.
I wanted to thank you for reading. You were a great 'read-ience' :-)
Christophe
vrijdag 28 december 2007
donderdag 27 december 2007
December 26th, snow in Prishtina
I woke up yesterday in a city covered in snow. On December 26th, I had an interview with Mr. Krenar Gashi, Kosovo editor of the BIRN (Balkan Investigative Network). The rest of the day, I spent my time resting and talking.
The BIRN-office is located in the centre of town of Prishtina, in the student's mess of the university. The city was in some sort of chaos yesterday, due to snowfall. The traffic was just gliding trough the slippery roads.
When I discovered the office (it was hard to find), I found myself following different arrows, revealing a huge office place with a beautiful wooden floor. I introduced myself to a young woman who was working at one of them, and she told me that Krenar Gashi was going to be late because of the snow. I filled my time studying a huge, detailed geographic map of Kosovo (which I would have liked very much as a souvenir) and chatting to this nice dude who came in after 10 minutes and said he visits Belgium regularly when he heard of my country of origin (he actually even spoke some words of Dutch). Some time later, Krenar Gashi arrived, and we installed ourselves at his desk. Recording the interview wasn't a problem.
BIRN stands for investigative journalism, organising debate and editing independent, investigative reports.
"Yes, you have these huge lignite deposits in Kosovo, and that is a big opportunity for the economy. But most of the infrastructure was destroyed after the war and still suffers from that", said Gashi.
"Kosovo isn't now be able to deploy its energy infrastructure. We are depending on old electricity systems , but now with a doubled electricity consumption. Kosovo simply uses too much energy for its infrastructure. And you have these three categories of payers, A, B and C, who are provided with energy by the pace they pay. So if you are a C payer for instance, you can wait for electricity for hours after a power cut. But there simply isn't any structure in this."
(Gashi states himself as an 'A' payer. And yes, power cuts are part of daily life in Prishtina, I am talking from expercience).
If you can say one thing about Mr Gashi, it is that he clearly has a vision about the economic future of Kosovo. Not just basic, but well underlined and intellectually based.
My head was buzzing after the interview. Not in a difficult way, but just by the range of different definitions and views Mr gashi offered me. Clearly this was a very good interview. But maybe you already figured this out.
Amd there is muc more. But publishing this without analysing - I know feel that I can even more analyse what is written above - wouldn't seem a good idea.
The general analysis of all my interviews and stories will come within a few days anyway. I just need some time.
After noon, Prishtina was slowly adapting to the snowy reality. I had some other talk - that won't be published, it was just private - with Labinot Haxhiu, a guy that I met while drinking with the OSCE-guys two days before. We took our time, and sure, it was even knowledge - acquiring too.
I went to bed at 9.30PM. Early for me,but I felt that I had to. And even then I couldn't get asleep quickly. It is the rate, the rythm of Prishtina that is in my nerves. This is a young city, making noise and offering some of the best dynamism I ever felt. Maybe this is just the biggest opportunity for this country. Living Fast.
More info on BIRN: http://www.birn.eu.com
I would like to thank Mr Krenar Gashi for his contribution. And also for the nice welcome I receive at the BIRN office.
The BIRN-office is located in the centre of town of Prishtina, in the student's mess of the university. The city was in some sort of chaos yesterday, due to snowfall. The traffic was just gliding trough the slippery roads.
When I discovered the office (it was hard to find), I found myself following different arrows, revealing a huge office place with a beautiful wooden floor. I introduced myself to a young woman who was working at one of them, and she told me that Krenar Gashi was going to be late because of the snow. I filled my time studying a huge, detailed geographic map of Kosovo (which I would have liked very much as a souvenir) and chatting to this nice dude who came in after 10 minutes and said he visits Belgium regularly when he heard of my country of origin (he actually even spoke some words of Dutch). Some time later, Krenar Gashi arrived, and we installed ourselves at his desk. Recording the interview wasn't a problem.
BIRN stands for investigative journalism, organising debate and editing independent, investigative reports.
"Yes, you have these huge lignite deposits in Kosovo, and that is a big opportunity for the economy. But most of the infrastructure was destroyed after the war and still suffers from that", said Gashi.
"Kosovo isn't now be able to deploy its energy infrastructure. We are depending on old electricity systems , but now with a doubled electricity consumption. Kosovo simply uses too much energy for its infrastructure. And you have these three categories of payers, A, B and C, who are provided with energy by the pace they pay. So if you are a C payer for instance, you can wait for electricity for hours after a power cut. But there simply isn't any structure in this."
(Gashi states himself as an 'A' payer. And yes, power cuts are part of daily life in Prishtina, I am talking from expercience).
"If there would be more money invested in education, the young population would also be an opportunity. They just need to be properly educated. Young people are facing unemployment, and so they represent this general problem in this society."
"Schools are also just thinking in local terms, while education has to be more internationally, or at least, regionally orientated. When young people leave school here, they just doesn't seem to be ready for the business world. And we have this brain drain, the migration of well-educated youngsters, from the beginning of the nineties. Kosovans from the diaspora are simply more productive."
"I just wanted the Kosovan citizens to be more critical towards the local politics. Now you have the media fulfilling that role, but every election people tend to vote not critically enough for the politicians. The Kosovan political class has already proved its inadequacy for me. And only the international organisations are held responsible for the failures made."
"We need this final status, just to bring more responsibilities to the local level, just to create awareness and just to make enterprises and businessmen invest more. I mean, this country needs to be as liberal as possibile, socially owned enterprises just need to be privatized as soon as possible. In my eyes, you don't have any economy now." Krenar Gashi, BIRN Kosovo editor
If you can say one thing about Mr Gashi, it is that he clearly has a vision about the economic future of Kosovo. Not just basic, but well underlined and intellectually based.
"We don't have much transparency in what is going on now on the economic side. There is a lack of good legislation", he states, while the other BIRN contributors are working occupiedly further, sometimes clearly much more listening to our talk. "Kosovo has still to create a primal framework for earning taxes, because now there are many enterprises that don't do that properly. I mean, the government can just double its budget if the taxes are rightly earned."
"Independence is an evolution, a process, not a fact on its own. This country has many chances and can boast a halthy economy, but you have this big 'IF'. If There will be more invested, if the status will be determined - and that's the very beginning - and if the power system will be modernised and expanded. And yes, the Serbian minority shall have to participate in this economy, because in the future, they will realise that Serbia won't be coming back, even if they don't accept independence the coming 10 years. Kosovo is now just some good PR for Serbian politicians, a good marketing issue." Krenar Gashi, BIRN Kosovo editor
My head was buzzing after the interview. Not in a difficult way, but just by the range of different definitions and views Mr gashi offered me. Clearly this was a very good interview. But maybe you already figured this out.
Amd there is muc more. But publishing this without analysing - I know feel that I can even more analyse what is written above - wouldn't seem a good idea.
The general analysis of all my interviews and stories will come within a few days anyway. I just need some time.
After noon, Prishtina was slowly adapting to the snowy reality. I had some other talk - that won't be published, it was just private - with Labinot Haxhiu, a guy that I met while drinking with the OSCE-guys two days before. We took our time, and sure, it was even knowledge - acquiring too.
I went to bed at 9.30PM. Early for me,but I felt that I had to. And even then I couldn't get asleep quickly. It is the rate, the rythm of Prishtina that is in my nerves. This is a young city, making noise and offering some of the best dynamism I ever felt. Maybe this is just the biggest opportunity for this country. Living Fast.
More info on BIRN: http://www.birn.eu.com
I would like to thank Mr Krenar Gashi for his contribution. And also for the nice welcome I receive at the BIRN office.
dinsdag 25 december 2007
Rock Hard Cafe and other stories - December 25th
Morning.
-Waking up at 8 PM (actually 15 mins later because my sleeping bag was too comfortable)
-Trying to catch 'The Professor', the owner of the guesthouse I'm staying in, for an interview. I talked to him on the phone but he said that he didn't want to because he was not ready to be interviewed. All attempts to convert him failed. Fair enough.
-Leading a lost American (not the chopper guy) to the bus station (although I didn't know where this was). This guy was hitchhiking around the world, was travelling for a year and only ate vegan food (something that has to be really hard in this part of the world). Actually we got there on time, and I caught a bus to the southern Kosovan town of Prizren.
This is where it started.
While sitting on the bus I met the chopper guy, the UK Indian and the Estonian-Russian girl, who were also heading to Prizren. They went out the night before all together while I was working and now seemed like close friends. (And yes, I worked on Christmas eve)
They were also accompanied by this interesting Bosnian-Kosovan guy who is working for a financial enterprise that co-operates with the EU mission. He found it interesting what I was doing. He even said that he had written an essay about the economic future of Kosovo, that he was going to send me via e-mail. His name was Emrin Redzeporgic.
When arriving in Prizren, a young man, who was sitting 2 seats behind me, where I was from. When I replied 'Belgium', he started to speak French to me.
Gentian, 16 years old, used to live in Brussels for a few years. He even went to school there. He proposed to lead me around in Prizren, as he and his shy friend, who didn't speak English or French, had lots of time to kill.
"I just came back to Kosovo with my parents. We are going to live here."
When I asked him what he tought of the future of Kosovo, just being 16 years old, he didn't know actually. Instead, it was clear that this guy was much more in fear of a new war.
Because of his young age. And, there it is, because he had his uncle and father fighting for the UCK during the war. When I asked him if he had a weapon at home, he almost proudly replied that they had "A working AK-47, ready to use when necessary." And that most Kosovans were prepared to new fighting.
Now, I think it is because of his young age that this guy had these more radical ideas. He found himself also not be able to live with Serbs. I can't judge his feelings. Nor can I have a slight idea of what war really means or what this one says is true. He was the first Kosovan I metthat was this radical. But as you may not expect, we had nice talks. I taped him on the top of the old Kale fortress, overlooking the city, and with a beautiful view towards the Sar mountains, that are bordering Macedonia. (Prizren isn't that far from Tetovo, the city I visited some 4 months ago). Gentian and I had lunch in a nice Bureqtore, Burek filled wiht cheese (fillough pastry filled with cheese or meat) During lunch he proudly presented a film on his mobile phone showing a Serbian tank during the conflict in 1999 that was blown to pieces by UCK forces.
Now I'm going to shut up about Gentian. I give him the chance of being young, and not talking about him like he is some kind of guy ready to slaughter any Serb with his bare hands.
He was nice and showed me much in Prizren. The museum of the League of Prizren, an Albanian national league in 1903 that fought against the Ottomans. The house where the museum was in was beautiful.
So, back In Prishtina I had dinner. Phoned some people for interviews. Had a drink at Jon's where a Kosovan living in Switzerland joked "We Kosovans are the smartest people in the world, because we speak more different languages than you can imagine. Welcome in the United States of Albania!" Fatmir, the owner, agreed.
I was left with thoughts. It was a bright day, full of journalistic challenges, full of personal challenges. I was able to analyse all things I had heard the previous days. But you have to wait for that, because I've already written too much today ;-)
And 'Rock Hard Cafe'? That is the name a funny one invented for his cafe, along the road from Prishtina to Prizren.
Goodnight.
-Waking up at 8 PM (actually 15 mins later because my sleeping bag was too comfortable)
-Trying to catch 'The Professor', the owner of the guesthouse I'm staying in, for an interview. I talked to him on the phone but he said that he didn't want to because he was not ready to be interviewed. All attempts to convert him failed. Fair enough.
-Leading a lost American (not the chopper guy) to the bus station (although I didn't know where this was). This guy was hitchhiking around the world, was travelling for a year and only ate vegan food (something that has to be really hard in this part of the world). Actually we got there on time, and I caught a bus to the southern Kosovan town of Prizren.
This is where it started.
While sitting on the bus I met the chopper guy, the UK Indian and the Estonian-Russian girl, who were also heading to Prizren. They went out the night before all together while I was working and now seemed like close friends. (And yes, I worked on Christmas eve)
They were also accompanied by this interesting Bosnian-Kosovan guy who is working for a financial enterprise that co-operates with the EU mission. He found it interesting what I was doing. He even said that he had written an essay about the economic future of Kosovo, that he was going to send me via e-mail. His name was Emrin Redzeporgic.
"Kosovo has the most fertile land in the region, so I see that as the main opportunity for the future. But the country quickly needs investments, from abroad and from Kosovan enterprises. The Kosovan government can give small credits to the population, which they can use to invest. And of course we need a final status. BUT, I want Kosovo not to become independent without EU-supervision. The political world is also mainly dominated by older politicians, I think that Kosovo can change faster if the many young people here can participate more in the political world."Prizren
When arriving in Prizren, a young man, who was sitting 2 seats behind me, where I was from. When I replied 'Belgium', he started to speak French to me.
Gentian, 16 years old, used to live in Brussels for a few years. He even went to school there. He proposed to lead me around in Prizren, as he and his shy friend, who didn't speak English or French, had lots of time to kill.
"I just came back to Kosovo with my parents. We are going to live here."
When I asked him what he tought of the future of Kosovo, just being 16 years old, he didn't know actually. Instead, it was clear that this guy was much more in fear of a new war.
Because of his young age. And, there it is, because he had his uncle and father fighting for the UCK during the war. When I asked him if he had a weapon at home, he almost proudly replied that they had "A working AK-47, ready to use when necessary." And that most Kosovans were prepared to new fighting.
Now, I think it is because of his young age that this guy had these more radical ideas. He found himself also not be able to live with Serbs. I can't judge his feelings. Nor can I have a slight idea of what war really means or what this one says is true. He was the first Kosovan I metthat was this radical. But as you may not expect, we had nice talks. I taped him on the top of the old Kale fortress, overlooking the city, and with a beautiful view towards the Sar mountains, that are bordering Macedonia. (Prizren isn't that far from Tetovo, the city I visited some 4 months ago). Gentian and I had lunch in a nice Bureqtore, Burek filled wiht cheese (fillough pastry filled with cheese or meat) During lunch he proudly presented a film on his mobile phone showing a Serbian tank during the conflict in 1999 that was blown to pieces by UCK forces.
Now I'm going to shut up about Gentian. I give him the chance of being young, and not talking about him like he is some kind of guy ready to slaughter any Serb with his bare hands.
He was nice and showed me much in Prizren. The museum of the League of Prizren, an Albanian national league in 1903 that fought against the Ottomans. The house where the museum was in was beautiful.
So, back In Prishtina I had dinner. Phoned some people for interviews. Had a drink at Jon's where a Kosovan living in Switzerland joked "We Kosovans are the smartest people in the world, because we speak more different languages than you can imagine. Welcome in the United States of Albania!" Fatmir, the owner, agreed.
I was left with thoughts. It was a bright day, full of journalistic challenges, full of personal challenges. I was able to analyse all things I had heard the previous days. But you have to wait for that, because I've already written too much today ;-)
And 'Rock Hard Cafe'? That is the name a funny one invented for his cafe, along the road from Prishtina to Prizren.
Goodnight.
Some reflections of Decmber 24th - all the stories
Going to Muhamet Hamiti
Mr Hamiti has his office in the Kosovan parliament, in downtown Prishtina. The building is heavily controlled by police forces. While entering, I had to legitimate and give my passport, in order to receive a small bdge mentioning 'visitor' on it. "Well", I said by myself, "I became a visitor, how fancy". And how official. My rucksack had to pass by a detector and I had to do that also (luckily nog the same). No bomb was found however, so after a pauze of 3 mins, I was led to the office of Mr Hamiti.
I entered. Mr Hamiti shook my hand. One of the first things I mentioned - it struck me directly - was a picture of Ibrahim Rugova hanging on the wall behind the man's desk. Also the direct, but gentle manner of introducing himself was remarkable. You don't do such things everyday as a student, talking to a senior political advisor of a president.
"Viability it is, not 'livability' as you quote", Hamiti said when he finished his work, leaving me for about 10 minutes, while I sat down in this luxuous seat. The correction the man made, made me think that my English could be better (or just my dictionary were I hooked the Dutch word for 'leefbaarheid' up. I thought that it was 'livability', and when he gave me a huge, Oxford-like dictionary (Hamiti is also a teacher in the English language), I gave up defending the word. But anyway, he knew what I was going to talk about.
Recording the interview wasn't a big problem. Mr Hamit himself answered in good, round quotes to my questions. The main issue we talked about was the economic future of Kosovo. According to him, as you may already have read, the future can look bright, if the country itself quickly gets independent. "Actually, Kosovo is already independent from 1999. The international organisations helped us a lot, but now we have to do it on our own, as receiving a final status is the only way of creating a strong, healthy economy."
After 30 minutes the interview ended. When I received my passport back at the reception, I felt a redemption from a certain stress. I did a good job, and, it has to be said, Mr Hamiti is a good chatter, who co-operated well.
'Jon's', Fatmir and Arbresha.
Before that, I met Arbresha and Fatmir at 'Jon's coffe bar' in the centre of Prishtina. Very kind people, with strong, good coffee and a strong opinion about the future of Kosovo. Fatmir :" It's hard to be here, I want to go abroad, but I can't get a visa of any European country, so I have to stay here and make my business." His sister-in-law, Arbresha, by his side behind the espresso machine, was more optimistic. "We can manage this, and soon it will be better." They have my support. 'Jon's' is now my preferred coffee-chat bar.
The OSCE-time.
I met Franklin De Vrieze, a Belgian OSCE-co-ordinator and my very much-liked local 'helper' (If you read this Franklin, thank you for your support!) at the OSCE-building in Prishtina a few hours after my interview. After the same check-up at the reception and the change of my passport into a nice little badge , we went to the rooftop cafe of the building. The view was fantastic. It is a former bank building, and seems to have a good infrastructure for the OSCE-contributors (It has a bar).
The chat was calm. About Kosovo, about what I did, about my perspectives and about...well, I was just happy that I could talk about my stories in my own language. After the chat we moved to a bar across the street, plenty of expats and other OSCE-guys. It was a nice start of the eve. Good for my growing local network. At least two of these guys are willing to talk to me about the future of Kosovo.
The kitchen-story.
In the evening, after some beers and jokes with the OSCE-guys, I entered the Kitchen at my guesthouse and met some people from all corners of the world. A couple from Singapore, A UK Indian, and an Estonian-Russian girl who was travelling with an American.
The American used to be a chopper pilot in the Marine corps in Iraq, the UK Indian was muslim. What deployed while they sat at the kitchen table was a discussion about the US army being in Iraq, and, well, you can just imagine. It was interesting to see both points of view being transmissed, and in the end they got along quite well. But it was striking how Ken, the chopper pilot, was trained to just answer critical questions about the rules of engagement, Fallujah and collateral damage. But he was a sympathetic guy and although I didn't endorse his opinions, I can understand why he replied in that way to such questions. "I don't care about collateral damage, it just happens", he said. Well, yes, it was impossible to confront him critically with this. But as a person, he was nice and well-mannered.
So, the only thing that you may want to know is my personal list of how you can risk your life in prishtina:
-Break your neck on the icy, slippy pavements
-Get overrun by a car (In the evening they are all sliding down the hilly roads instead of driving on it)
-Get a heart-attack because of the little children who are igniting all kinds of unsafe fireworks for Christmas, or make a sport out of trowing loudy bombs on the streets - sometimes just on the piece of pavement were you are heading to.
Nothing to worry about as you see. No wartime or ethnical things.
Et Voila. This was December 24th in brief.
Read on...
Mr Hamiti has his office in the Kosovan parliament, in downtown Prishtina. The building is heavily controlled by police forces. While entering, I had to legitimate and give my passport, in order to receive a small bdge mentioning 'visitor' on it. "Well", I said by myself, "I became a visitor, how fancy". And how official. My rucksack had to pass by a detector and I had to do that also (luckily nog the same). No bomb was found however, so after a pauze of 3 mins, I was led to the office of Mr Hamiti.
I entered. Mr Hamiti shook my hand. One of the first things I mentioned - it struck me directly - was a picture of Ibrahim Rugova hanging on the wall behind the man's desk. Also the direct, but gentle manner of introducing himself was remarkable. You don't do such things everyday as a student, talking to a senior political advisor of a president.
"Viability it is, not 'livability' as you quote", Hamiti said when he finished his work, leaving me for about 10 minutes, while I sat down in this luxuous seat. The correction the man made, made me think that my English could be better (or just my dictionary were I hooked the Dutch word for 'leefbaarheid' up. I thought that it was 'livability', and when he gave me a huge, Oxford-like dictionary (Hamiti is also a teacher in the English language), I gave up defending the word. But anyway, he knew what I was going to talk about.
Recording the interview wasn't a big problem. Mr Hamit himself answered in good, round quotes to my questions. The main issue we talked about was the economic future of Kosovo. According to him, as you may already have read, the future can look bright, if the country itself quickly gets independent. "Actually, Kosovo is already independent from 1999. The international organisations helped us a lot, but now we have to do it on our own, as receiving a final status is the only way of creating a strong, healthy economy."
"We have, despite of the good work of the international organisations, been in limbo for about 8 years, and this is deadly for our economy. Like that, we don't have any acces to the global economy, we have less perspectives for investments - both from foreign and Kosovan enterprises - and we can't participate in the financial, international market. Also the war and the socialist era destroyed most of the economic space. Serbia has used us for so many years." Muhamet Hamiti, senior political advisor to the Kosovo president, Fatmir Sejdiu.
"It will be a hard process, but we can make it anyway, within few - 4 or 5 - years. We can enter all international organisations and build our economy, depending on our main opportunities like agriculture, a very young population (60 pct of the Kosovan population is under the age of 30) and our mineral deposits. You also have the biggest concentration of lignite in this part of the world in Kosovo. So yes, Kosovo can have a very bright, independent future." Muhamet Hamiti, senior political advisor to the Kosovo president, Fatmir Sejdiu.
After 30 minutes the interview ended. When I received my passport back at the reception, I felt a redemption from a certain stress. I did a good job, and, it has to be said, Mr Hamiti is a good chatter, who co-operated well.
'Jon's', Fatmir and Arbresha.
Before that, I met Arbresha and Fatmir at 'Jon's coffe bar' in the centre of Prishtina. Very kind people, with strong, good coffee and a strong opinion about the future of Kosovo. Fatmir :" It's hard to be here, I want to go abroad, but I can't get a visa of any European country, so I have to stay here and make my business." His sister-in-law, Arbresha, by his side behind the espresso machine, was more optimistic. "We can manage this, and soon it will be better." They have my support. 'Jon's' is now my preferred coffee-chat bar.
The OSCE-time.
I met Franklin De Vrieze, a Belgian OSCE-co-ordinator and my very much-liked local 'helper' (If you read this Franklin, thank you for your support!) at the OSCE-building in Prishtina a few hours after my interview. After the same check-up at the reception and the change of my passport into a nice little badge , we went to the rooftop cafe of the building. The view was fantastic. It is a former bank building, and seems to have a good infrastructure for the OSCE-contributors (It has a bar).
The chat was calm. About Kosovo, about what I did, about my perspectives and about...well, I was just happy that I could talk about my stories in my own language. After the chat we moved to a bar across the street, plenty of expats and other OSCE-guys. It was a nice start of the eve. Good for my growing local network. At least two of these guys are willing to talk to me about the future of Kosovo.
The kitchen-story.
In the evening, after some beers and jokes with the OSCE-guys, I entered the Kitchen at my guesthouse and met some people from all corners of the world. A couple from Singapore, A UK Indian, and an Estonian-Russian girl who was travelling with an American.
The American used to be a chopper pilot in the Marine corps in Iraq, the UK Indian was muslim. What deployed while they sat at the kitchen table was a discussion about the US army being in Iraq, and, well, you can just imagine. It was interesting to see both points of view being transmissed, and in the end they got along quite well. But it was striking how Ken, the chopper pilot, was trained to just answer critical questions about the rules of engagement, Fallujah and collateral damage. But he was a sympathetic guy and although I didn't endorse his opinions, I can understand why he replied in that way to such questions. "I don't care about collateral damage, it just happens", he said. Well, yes, it was impossible to confront him critically with this. But as a person, he was nice and well-mannered.
So, the only thing that you may want to know is my personal list of how you can risk your life in prishtina:
-Break your neck on the icy, slippy pavements
-Get overrun by a car (In the evening they are all sliding down the hilly roads instead of driving on it)
-Get a heart-attack because of the little children who are igniting all kinds of unsafe fireworks for Christmas, or make a sport out of trowing loudy bombs on the streets - sometimes just on the piece of pavement were you are heading to.
Nothing to worry about as you see. No wartime or ethnical things.
Et Voila. This was December 24th in brief.
Read on...
On the programme today
I proudly announce the following:
You still have to read:
-The full(er) story of going to Muhamet Hamiti
-My first descend in the capital
-Three ways how to risk your life in Prishtina
-The coffee bar story
-The OSCE story
-The Kitchen story
Sadly, I will only write this down tonight, because I have to go now. Having first an interview with the hotel owner, than do some calling around (met some interesting people) and than try to catch a bus to Prizren, my first "trip" in Kosovo. Maybe, but I don't know yet, I can manage to go to Peja also, if I have time today.
You just have to wait and see. It is my promise that tonight, you will have lost of new story's to consume...
Oh, yes, before I forget: Merry Christmas everybody!
You still have to read:
-The full(er) story of going to Muhamet Hamiti
-My first descend in the capital
-Three ways how to risk your life in Prishtina
-The coffee bar story
-The OSCE story
-The Kitchen story
Sadly, I will only write this down tonight, because I have to go now. Having first an interview with the hotel owner, than do some calling around (met some interesting people) and than try to catch a bus to Prizren, my first "trip" in Kosovo. Maybe, but I don't know yet, I can manage to go to Peja also, if I have time today.
You just have to wait and see. It is my promise that tonight, you will have lost of new story's to consume...
Oh, yes, before I forget: Merry Christmas everybody!
maandag 24 december 2007
How life was today
Again, it was a cold day in the Kosovan capital. Like yesterday, you had that chilly fog hanging over the city. It was also a test for my lungs, because not smoking seems not to be an option, the cigarette fog hanging around inside every cafe or restaurant. But the most important things that happened, the 'news of the day', must be that I had an interview with Muhamet Hamiti, senior political advisor to the Kosovan president, Fatmir Sejdiu.
"Minerals, a very young population and agriculture are the three main opporunities for an independent Kosovo", Hamiti says. "But you can only create a healthy economy if you are independent, so Kosovo needs its final status. That will be better for us." When I ask him when Kosovo will be independent, he replies: "Soon in 2008".
Soon in 2008. More specific - I have this from different sources, like OSCE contributors - in February. This is a general rumour that you hear most in Prishtina. The question is; isn't it a bit too soon?
The main threat for an independent Kosovo seems, politically, the reaction of Serbia, that hadn't expected the negociating process to fail. Directly linked to this is the fact that Kosovo also depends on electricity coming from Serbia. "And one of the big failures in creating a stable economy in Kosovo is the fact that the electricity system is too unreliable", according to Hamiti.
"Kosovo is difficult to have an enterprise. Sometimes I bring coffee to shop owners, and I run 200metres for about just 40 eurocent", says Fatmir, who is owning a coffee bar in the centre of Prishtina. But if you can say one thing about Kosovans, it is their sense of optimism. That things will be better within years.
To be continued...
"Minerals, a very young population and agriculture are the three main opporunities for an independent Kosovo", Hamiti says. "But you can only create a healthy economy if you are independent, so Kosovo needs its final status. That will be better for us." When I ask him when Kosovo will be independent, he replies: "Soon in 2008".
Soon in 2008. More specific - I have this from different sources, like OSCE contributors - in February. This is a general rumour that you hear most in Prishtina. The question is; isn't it a bit too soon?
The main threat for an independent Kosovo seems, politically, the reaction of Serbia, that hadn't expected the negociating process to fail. Directly linked to this is the fact that Kosovo also depends on electricity coming from Serbia. "And one of the big failures in creating a stable economy in Kosovo is the fact that the electricity system is too unreliable", according to Hamiti.
"Kosovo is difficult to have an enterprise. Sometimes I bring coffee to shop owners, and I run 200metres for about just 40 eurocent", says Fatmir, who is owning a coffee bar in the centre of Prishtina. But if you can say one thing about Kosovans, it is their sense of optimism. That things will be better within years.
To be continued...
In Prishtina
Finally, I am in Kosovo. During my bus trip from Brussels, with a stop-over in Belgrade, I thought that Kosovo was some fantasy country that didn't exist, only in some faraway dream. But it does, and the reality here seems to be...different than thought before.
It felt a bit strange to cross the notorious bridge in Mitrovica last night. It was dark, everything was moonlit and I seemed to be the only one who was crossing it. Must have been a strange sight to the UNMIK guards that are guarding the bridge. So, after I crossed it, I asked a gentle officer where the bus station on the Albanian side was. He didn't know, but luckily for me, his translator, smoking in a UN vehicle, helped me. "Oh, than you have to walk for about 20mins" With some help from my friend Nazif, who I phoned, he led his nephew (who was waiting for me with a taxi somewhere in Albanian Mitrovica) to me. The taxi was a (should it surprise?) Mercedes Benz (the fashion old one). During our 40 min drive to Prishtina, we had to stop because of a flat tyre. It has to be said, but in less than 10 mins the guy (and his friend who accompanied him) replaced the weel. It was freezing cold and I thought that if had to take care of the same job, my hands would have frozen off (on condition that I would find the wheel to replace).
So, Prishtina, you say. It's weird. It's everything but that that you had expected...and even worser. Nazif's nephew kicked me out in the Velania area, and said that I had to walk for just 5 mins. True, after a while I had found the Bujtine Velania guesthouse. Prishtina was all dark, and the sound of livable emergency electricity generators was everywhere. (My Welcome seemed to be accompanied by a power shut down. Everybody in this town is prepared however, I think that, next to a house, a generator is the second most wanted item in Kosovo.
After an hour there was electricity, so I could use internet. Fair enough, but there was no connection, so I remained quiet, cut off from the outer world. My Mobile phone wasn't also able to send messages or call, but the weird fact that I could receive calls and messages, made me less desperate than I thought I would become.
This is a big test, so. I have to be inventive to contact you, my dear readers. Probably it is easier to send hello to Mars than to Belgium. But we are working on it. I wouldn't become journalist if I would have a problem with this kind of, uhm, how shall I call it...adventure. To myself: Welcome to Prishtina!
It felt a bit strange to cross the notorious bridge in Mitrovica last night. It was dark, everything was moonlit and I seemed to be the only one who was crossing it. Must have been a strange sight to the UNMIK guards that are guarding the bridge. So, after I crossed it, I asked a gentle officer where the bus station on the Albanian side was. He didn't know, but luckily for me, his translator, smoking in a UN vehicle, helped me. "Oh, than you have to walk for about 20mins" With some help from my friend Nazif, who I phoned, he led his nephew (who was waiting for me with a taxi somewhere in Albanian Mitrovica) to me. The taxi was a (should it surprise?) Mercedes Benz (the fashion old one). During our 40 min drive to Prishtina, we had to stop because of a flat tyre. It has to be said, but in less than 10 mins the guy (and his friend who accompanied him) replaced the weel. It was freezing cold and I thought that if had to take care of the same job, my hands would have frozen off (on condition that I would find the wheel to replace).
So, Prishtina, you say. It's weird. It's everything but that that you had expected...and even worser. Nazif's nephew kicked me out in the Velania area, and said that I had to walk for just 5 mins. True, after a while I had found the Bujtine Velania guesthouse. Prishtina was all dark, and the sound of livable emergency electricity generators was everywhere. (My Welcome seemed to be accompanied by a power shut down. Everybody in this town is prepared however, I think that, next to a house, a generator is the second most wanted item in Kosovo.
After an hour there was electricity, so I could use internet. Fair enough, but there was no connection, so I remained quiet, cut off from the outer world. My Mobile phone wasn't also able to send messages or call, but the weird fact that I could receive calls and messages, made me less desperate than I thought I would become.
This is a big test, so. I have to be inventive to contact you, my dear readers. Probably it is easier to send hello to Mars than to Belgium. But we are working on it. I wouldn't become journalist if I would have a problem with this kind of, uhm, how shall I call it...adventure. To myself: Welcome to Prishtina!
zaterdag 8 december 2007
Economic future and stability in Kosovo
Kosovo has the opportunities to create a modern, good-working economy, but the lack of investments from foreign einterprises and the unability of the Kosovan government to support mayer investments, make it a succes-story that still has to be written.
The final status of the tiny future-country hasn't been officially decided yet, but likely it will be an independent country in 2008. Since the beginning of international support in 1999, and the settlement of an internationally guarded government, Kosovo has come from far. But there is no reason to be fully optimistic.
Lacking a well-maintained, modern energy policy, and running on broken electricity transport networks, the main obstacle to form a healthy economy, the country is at the mercy of time before the infrastructure is too messed up. Power cuts in the country remain normal, and even the capital Prishtina isn't saved from this.
"The UNMIK is responsible for the economic reconstruction, but the succes of that is mainly limited," says Franklin De Vrieze of the OSCE mission in Prishtina.
Mr. De Vrieze is responsible for the co-ordination and support of the Central Assembly of Kosovo. He watches the democratic institutions and the good governance in the country.
"The UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosovo) has to work in a very difficult context. The economic future of Kosovo depends on the future status. To be able to export products, a country needs an official status. And as long as this hasn't been decided, this remains difficult. The lack of a definitive status also means that foreign enterprises won't be attracted to invest in Kosovo's economy. There is no juridical framework for enterprises to work in, there are no guarantees from the government to support investments in Kosovo. Of course, the main investments in Kosovo come from money earned by Kosovan Albanians abroad. This also isn't good to form a healthy economy."
Kosovo has a very young population. The majority of it under the age of 25, gives the opportunity to boast a dynamic working population. But there is little room for jobs, as almost 50% of the working class is unemployed.
Also the unability to decide of the government seems to be a problem. Law- enforcing decisions remain difficult and have receive permission from the UNMIK, who is in fact co-governing the country. The execution of legislation seems to be a mayor obstacle.
"If Kosovo attracts foreigners to invest, these people have difficulties in knowing who is responsible for what," says Franklin De Vrieze.
The international community has a big responsibility concerning Kosovo. The country has been an experiment in international Balkan policy the last years, and has many attractions, but these can only be reached with intense support and aid. Kosovo seems to be democratic now to go its own way, having the possibility to remain stable and not to call on ghosts of the past, but by looking forward. It also has many opportunities for tourism, being a centre in the Balkan, and hosting many religious monuments, lush mountain landscapes and a rich history. It is now the responsibility of the Kosovars to make this reality and to prove themselves.
The final status of the tiny future-country hasn't been officially decided yet, but likely it will be an independent country in 2008. Since the beginning of international support in 1999, and the settlement of an internationally guarded government, Kosovo has come from far. But there is no reason to be fully optimistic.
Lacking a well-maintained, modern energy policy, and running on broken electricity transport networks, the main obstacle to form a healthy economy, the country is at the mercy of time before the infrastructure is too messed up. Power cuts in the country remain normal, and even the capital Prishtina isn't saved from this.
"The UNMIK is responsible for the economic reconstruction, but the succes of that is mainly limited," says Franklin De Vrieze of the OSCE mission in Prishtina.
Mr. De Vrieze is responsible for the co-ordination and support of the Central Assembly of Kosovo. He watches the democratic institutions and the good governance in the country.
"The UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosovo) has to work in a very difficult context. The economic future of Kosovo depends on the future status. To be able to export products, a country needs an official status. And as long as this hasn't been decided, this remains difficult. The lack of a definitive status also means that foreign enterprises won't be attracted to invest in Kosovo's economy. There is no juridical framework for enterprises to work in, there are no guarantees from the government to support investments in Kosovo. Of course, the main investments in Kosovo come from money earned by Kosovan Albanians abroad. This also isn't good to form a healthy economy."
Kosovo has a very young population. The majority of it under the age of 25, gives the opportunity to boast a dynamic working population. But there is little room for jobs, as almost 50% of the working class is unemployed.
Also the unability to decide of the government seems to be a problem. Law- enforcing decisions remain difficult and have receive permission from the UNMIK, who is in fact co-governing the country. The execution of legislation seems to be a mayor obstacle.
"If Kosovo attracts foreigners to invest, these people have difficulties in knowing who is responsible for what," says Franklin De Vrieze.
The international community has a big responsibility concerning Kosovo. The country has been an experiment in international Balkan policy the last years, and has many attractions, but these can only be reached with intense support and aid. Kosovo seems to be democratic now to go its own way, having the possibility to remain stable and not to call on ghosts of the past, but by looking forward. It also has many opportunities for tourism, being a centre in the Balkan, and hosting many religious monuments, lush mountain landscapes and a rich history. It is now the responsibility of the Kosovars to make this reality and to prove themselves.
A tricky proof
Yesterday, December 7th, the troika-contact group (US, EU and Russia), handed over the definitive report about Kosovo, to Ban-Ki Moon. On Monday, December 10th, the talks about the future status of Kosovo will officially end.
Kosovo is undergoing a tricky proof now. Knowing that the emotions are raising and the statements made my Serbian politicians, are of discouraging knowledge, as if Serbia expects that Kosovo will likely declare its independence, and is foreseeing future boycots and a revisal of its ties with countries who will support Kosovar independence. Again, the meaning of truth and justice is put upon the debate, making it more difficult than it truly is.
Serbia is a democratic country. By the time I am writing this, citizens of this country can freely choose their politicians, have a police force that is less corrupt than it used to be (although strong ties with the older attitude remain) and when hearing young, dynamic Serbians talking about the future, I hear hope, willingness to go further and the optimistic view that Serbia will one day be part of the EU.
But, as this weekend is raising the big questions about Kosovo, the outgoing chief prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, urged Serbia to hand over former Bosnian-serb general Ratko Mladic to the tribunal at The Hague before...December 10th. You can say what you want about the policy at The Hague, you can praise the good work by Carla Del Ponte, but I think that double-shooting at Serbia on this date will freeze good contacts with Serbia in the future. Serbia has had its history during the 90ties and the 20th century, but I believe that you won't create a little goodwill with this country if you say something like this, knowing that it will be impossible to hand over Mladic before this date.
Of course Mladic needs to be handed over, he is a war criminal, responsible for one of the worst massacres in modern Europe after WWII, but you simply can't press this before December 10th. The faster Mladic will be found, the better it be. But December 10th as date is somewhat stupidly chosen, because this sounds somewhat too offending to Serbia. I Believe that it isn't the will of the majority of the population of Serbia that their country hides this war criminal. I think what people in Serbia want, is simply a stable and modern, fully democratic country, food and warmth...like almost everybody in this world.
I fully endorse the work of Carla Del Ponte, being someone who visited Bosnia&Herzegovina and Srebrenica. I truly believe that Mladic is a war criminal, but I expected a little more diplomacy from Del Ponte. Let Serbia firstly talk about what to do after December 10th
give them the chance to accept the independence of Kosovo, because that is unavoidable, and let them hand over Mladic as quick as possibile. But simply not before December 10th, because the stability of the Balkan will be under pressure this weekend, whatever happens.
Kosovo is undergoing a tricky proof now. Knowing that the emotions are raising and the statements made my Serbian politicians, are of discouraging knowledge, as if Serbia expects that Kosovo will likely declare its independence, and is foreseeing future boycots and a revisal of its ties with countries who will support Kosovar independence. Again, the meaning of truth and justice is put upon the debate, making it more difficult than it truly is.
Serbia is a democratic country. By the time I am writing this, citizens of this country can freely choose their politicians, have a police force that is less corrupt than it used to be (although strong ties with the older attitude remain) and when hearing young, dynamic Serbians talking about the future, I hear hope, willingness to go further and the optimistic view that Serbia will one day be part of the EU.
But, as this weekend is raising the big questions about Kosovo, the outgoing chief prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, urged Serbia to hand over former Bosnian-serb general Ratko Mladic to the tribunal at The Hague before...December 10th. You can say what you want about the policy at The Hague, you can praise the good work by Carla Del Ponte, but I think that double-shooting at Serbia on this date will freeze good contacts with Serbia in the future. Serbia has had its history during the 90ties and the 20th century, but I believe that you won't create a little goodwill with this country if you say something like this, knowing that it will be impossible to hand over Mladic before this date.
Of course Mladic needs to be handed over, he is a war criminal, responsible for one of the worst massacres in modern Europe after WWII, but you simply can't press this before December 10th. The faster Mladic will be found, the better it be. But December 10th as date is somewhat stupidly chosen, because this sounds somewhat too offending to Serbia. I Believe that it isn't the will of the majority of the population of Serbia that their country hides this war criminal. I think what people in Serbia want, is simply a stable and modern, fully democratic country, food and warmth...like almost everybody in this world.
I fully endorse the work of Carla Del Ponte, being someone who visited Bosnia&Herzegovina and Srebrenica. I truly believe that Mladic is a war criminal, but I expected a little more diplomacy from Del Ponte. Let Serbia firstly talk about what to do after December 10th
give them the chance to accept the independence of Kosovo, because that is unavoidable, and let them hand over Mladic as quick as possibile. But simply not before December 10th, because the stability of the Balkan will be under pressure this weekend, whatever happens.
woensdag 5 december 2007
Inside the Balkan
Maybe you can only learn to appreciate the possibilities this region brings if you know its historyThis quote is from Mark Mazower, a British historian who wrote an excellent book about the Balkan and its history. It was one of the best documents I've ever read about the Balkan, because I've struggeled many times with a definition of the region. Now I surely know that you can't just define the Balkan, there is no defintion that fit. This region, where I accidentally became involved with, is a continent of its own. And saying this, I don't refer to a certain 'bloody' history that people keep in their mind when hearing about Balkan countries.
So, there can be said more, but I am just going to let you readers think about this.
zaterdag 1 december 2007
The big gap
Friday, November 30th, Residence Palace Press Center, Brussels
In front of me a well-known Kosovar lobbyist and diplomat, active in Brussels since the late seventies.
It was a good talk about Kosovo, the Balkans and (should it surprise?) history. If everything will still be running smoothly in the future, this man should bring me in contact with some Kosovar intellectuals while I am travelling in Kosovo at the end of this month. But we aren't there yet.
The Kosovar lobbyist (For personal reasons I am nog going to give his name, it's too early for that) wants my MiniDisc recorder to be put of. If I object and tell him that it would make my work easier (the interview is being taken in French, and although I have enough knowledge of this language to talk about different subjects, it is nog my native language) while writing the transcript. "Ok then, we'll start the interview and somewhere in the middle I will ask it again," I say by myself. My diplomat answers other questions that I had written down and given him in advance, but after a while I start to think that I am also hearing some important things. Mainly political and historical. Now, I know that on the Balkans, everyone has its own version of history, but I can't say that this man was telling nonsenses. After a while the interview becomes intense, and I am finding myself by the core of what I am doing other than writing an article about the economic livability of Kosovo: What is Kosovo really? A question that I had maybe forgotten while searching economic facts about the (future) country.
But, it should be said: I didn't like some aspects that were said. Saying that the uçk has never comitted war crimes is a bridge too far, just like saying that it was just a liberation organisation. Also the phrases that Serbia is just proceeding with the same policy as before 1999 is somewhat...unreal. Like the detention of Slobodan Milosevic was just a sacrifice for continuing the same Serbian policy. Kosovo has suffered long years, but I think that after 1999, Serb policy didn't affect the region of Kosovo that much...for it was ruled by different international organisations who could act stronger than Serbia. Serbia has liberalized, and although they have difficult arguments to maintain Kosovo as a Serbian province, the point of view of the Serbian government simply isn't the same as before 1999.
So, again I have learned some important things...this while the December 10th deadline is coming closer and a double-backed (by Albanians and Serbs) solution is becoming utopia. It will be or this, or that, but not both of them.
In front of me a well-known Kosovar lobbyist and diplomat, active in Brussels since the late seventies.
It was a good talk about Kosovo, the Balkans and (should it surprise?) history. If everything will still be running smoothly in the future, this man should bring me in contact with some Kosovar intellectuals while I am travelling in Kosovo at the end of this month. But we aren't there yet.
The Kosovar lobbyist (For personal reasons I am nog going to give his name, it's too early for that) wants my MiniDisc recorder to be put of. If I object and tell him that it would make my work easier (the interview is being taken in French, and although I have enough knowledge of this language to talk about different subjects, it is nog my native language) while writing the transcript. "Ok then, we'll start the interview and somewhere in the middle I will ask it again," I say by myself. My diplomat answers other questions that I had written down and given him in advance, but after a while I start to think that I am also hearing some important things. Mainly political and historical. Now, I know that on the Balkans, everyone has its own version of history, but I can't say that this man was telling nonsenses. After a while the interview becomes intense, and I am finding myself by the core of what I am doing other than writing an article about the economic livability of Kosovo: What is Kosovo really? A question that I had maybe forgotten while searching economic facts about the (future) country.
But, it should be said: I didn't like some aspects that were said. Saying that the uçk has never comitted war crimes is a bridge too far, just like saying that it was just a liberation organisation. Also the phrases that Serbia is just proceeding with the same policy as before 1999 is somewhat...unreal. Like the detention of Slobodan Milosevic was just a sacrifice for continuing the same Serbian policy. Kosovo has suffered long years, but I think that after 1999, Serb policy didn't affect the region of Kosovo that much...for it was ruled by different international organisations who could act stronger than Serbia. Serbia has liberalized, and although they have difficult arguments to maintain Kosovo as a Serbian province, the point of view of the Serbian government simply isn't the same as before 1999.
So, again I have learned some important things...this while the December 10th deadline is coming closer and a double-backed (by Albanians and Serbs) solution is becoming utopia. It will be or this, or that, but not both of them.
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