Gianfranco Fini International Herald Tribune
MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2006
ROME The coming year promises to be marked by delicate phases that could be decisive for the future of the Balkans. On an official visit to the area a few weeks ago, I registered concerns of a possible flare-up in tensions that are anything but dormant, together with sincere, widespread hopes that the painful experiences of the past can be consigned, once and for all, to history.
The main road to a lasting settlement in the Balkans passes through Kosovo. The start-up of the Kosovo status negotiations, thanks to the UN secretary general's appointment of a special envoy, was brought about by a reality that the international community could no longer afford to ignore: that the post-conflict status quo is unsustainable and the "standards before status" formula is impracticable.
This does not mean, however, that its terms can be freely reversed. Tangible progress in these negotiations is inconceivable unless progress is made in the area of standards, particularly in connection with security, the return of refugees, respect for multi-ethnicity, and the protection of sacred places, which are a cultural heritage for the world and a sine qua non for the Serbian community.
Kosovars of Albanian ethnicity would thus be wrong to take the outcome of the negotiations for granted. But so would the Serbs, in both Pristina and Belgrade, were they to spurn them by refusing to come up with coherent, realistic and constructive proposals.
The linchpin of any new status is the prospect of integrating Kosovo into the European Union in the context of a gradual stabilization of the region. The moment will come when, in parallel to shuttle diplomacy, it will be opportune for Belgrade and Pristina to engage in direct dialogue, with the full involvement of the Kosovar Serbs.
In short, Pristina's European aspirations may be the most attractive way for the Kosovars themselves to give substance to a transition that promises to be lengthy. Its status could be based on a form of conditional independence within the framework of a European guarantee, while awaiting integration into the EU institutions.
A strong international military and administrative presence will of course have to be maintained to safeguard the specific mechanisms of economic support.
The same criterion holds true for Belgrade, which is grappling with the unknown of a referendum on the secession of Montenegro. Only a Serbia confident in its ability to achieve the goal of integration into the EU - and into NATO through the Partnership for Peace - will have sufficient incentives to contribute to the stabilization of the region.
In truth, the door of the EU should remain open for all the Balkan countries, through modalities to be established on a case-by-case basis. This is the best way to guarantee the success of the international community's endeavors.
A certain optimism is warranted in view of recent European Union measures long advocated by the Italian government. I am referring to the decisions to start negotiations on an EU association agreement with Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as to recognize the accession candidacy status of Macedonia. These negotiations represent further starting points that will hopefully lead to positive conclusions of their own.
Europe has a specific imperative: to contribute substantially toward finding the best solution for the future of this region.
"In the Balkans the hour of Europe has come." So spoke the foreign minister of Luxembourg in the summer of 1991. We know all too well what came after this ambitious declaration: a decade of Balkan conflicts and of dismal European inertia.
Fifteen years later, Europe would be well advised to keep a safe distance from a rhetoric that is as loud as it is content-free and instead to take concrete steps toward offering real integration prospects to a region that is European in every way.
On the strength of its age-old friendship with the countries of the region and its significant involvement in the Balkans through policing actions, military presence and economic support, Italy is ready to do its part.
(Gianfranco Fini is the foreign minister of Italy.)
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13 comments:
Even Serbia's previously most ardent supporters are changing camp know. Nobody want's to be a loser.
except Cvijus and Ivan :). I can just imagine their faces when they see news from credible sources like this, and go "crap... not again". While the rest of the human race have enough brain power to deal with this issue objectively. Soon we will have Russia and France join the group. Then Serbs will get angry and conquer the rest of the world - as their craddle ;).
we actually have de facto independence, the fact that the international community conditions our independence is not so important, it's just the continuity of the so called "standards" which prevails and a sustainable effort in fighting corruption and nepotism (yes, theese things exist in our lovely Dardania, certainly less than out of its administrative boundaries but they exist)...
Honestly we shouldn't be happy to fast, like they say it in French, don't sell bear's fur before having killed it and don't put the plow before the beefs...
But just in case if we effectively gained independence, what would be our flag? Certainly inspired from the albanian one but different enough not to suggest any confusion about our real and depp will and independent Dardania with strong ties with its neighbours. don't we??
Italians just dont another mass immigration by albanian criminals,prostitutes and drug dealers,the italians generally have a very dim view on the albanians in general.Plus turkey dont even support the albanians so whats that tell you,everyone is turning their backs on you,you are despised by all.
Congratulations on what???
Guys Alessandro is Aleksandar.
Plese Italy is officialy imprting immigrants from Albania, as they are culturaly similar. This guy is nothing more then blinded Serb, that is using a name to try and make his point.
According to him even Turkey would side with Serbs.
As far as I am concerned I could care less about Turkish support, Italian foreign minister however is something else. French President has already told Tadic that keeping Kosova is unrealistic demand, and finaly what I care the most is support of USA, Swiss, British, Canadian, and Scandinvian. We have all that.
Cheers,
PS I am already planing to be there during the summer so I can celebrate it.
organized crime or the "mafia" does not exist. . .it is a myth invented by prosecutors
I am a Serbian woman and I support Kosovo/a independence (I don't need any Italian to tell me that), cause they deserve it and we don't. We have commited far too many crimes and treated Albanians for years the way no one should be treated to deserve to live in the same country with them. I just hope that future Albanian generations will forgive us, and we can live in peace as neighbours.
These hot headed Serbian boys are soon going to be history in Serbia as well, as they are already in Novi Sad where I come from. Guys like Cvijus and Ivan are responsible for the image my country has today in the world. I am simply ashamed to tell someone that I am Serbian, which was not the case before.
I think that Kosovo/a'a independence will also mark the turning point in Serbian politics, as they will finally realize that radical, nationalist, shovinist and racist ideas will only set you back.
May peace and prosperity prevail over our countries.
To Ivan.
Ivan why are you so full of crap? If you serbs were so carying how come you killed 250,000 people including here many children.Your wars left thousand of kids orphans.Don't lie,Serbia has never apologized to albanians.Even if you apologized to any country that isn't enough,Germany still pays the families of the the victims of WWII.Once again don't fucking lie.Mlladic,Sesejl and the others are still considered heroes in Serbia.Serbian government paid the pension to Mlladic till november 2005.Radicals of Sesejl have the majority in the serbian parliament.So tell me where do you see that you have moved on?
but you, you still finance your independence with innocent childrens lives.
You fucking moron.You dont consider the lives of 10,000 albanians killed by the serbs and 90% of population deported as a reason for independence, but make up stories of financing the independence with innocent childrens lives.If you ever been to italy in the streets of Rome Milano,Torino or whatever city you will see more slavic kids than albanian kids,most of them are serbs.The majority of albanian kids working the streets are from gypsy families.
Armed, Dangerous Man Wanted In Post Bar Shooting
Police Release Photograph Of Suspect
POSTED: 1:05 pm EST January 16, 2006
Police released a photograph Monday of a man -- considered to be armed and dangerous -- wanted in connection with a weekend fatal shooting at a Clinton Township bar.
Edmond Dodaj (pictured), 26, is accused of a shooting William "Billy" Jedrzejek, 22, in the parking lot of the Post Bar, located at 41240 Hayes, near 18 Mile Road, at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, according to police. Police said Dodaj then fled the scene in a 2005 Mercury Mountaineer, which has been recovered.
The victim's father, William Jedrzejek Sr., told Local 4 that his son was shot at least two times, once in the head and once in the back. Jedrzejek was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Clinton Township, where he died a short time later.
The family told Local 4 the man was singled out after someone in a crowd of people leaving the bar shouted an obscenity or slur directed to another man, now identified as the shooter. Investigators said the victim apparently did not know the shooter, according to a report in The Macomb Daily.
John Thompson, a general manager for the Post Bar chain, said the bar's owners and operators were "deeply saddened" by the incident and extended their condolences to the victim's family, according to the paper's report.
"The worst part of this is it looks like the young man who was shot was trying to do the right thing," said Thompson in the paper's report. "There was something going on between a man and a woman in the parking lot and he tried to be a good Samaritan by stepping in."
The victim's girlfriend, Megan Ventimigila, said Jedrzejek "didn't do anything wrong to deserve this."
"There was a confrontation between two other people, not including him," said Ventimigila.
Ventimigila said the man approached her boyfriend, and Jedrzejek said he did not want any trouble.
"Before anything could be done, he was on the ground," said Ventimigila.
Witnesses provided police with a description of the suspect and his vehicle.
Dodaj was described as 6 feet 2 inches tall, 180 pounds and of Albanian descent, police said. Police said he was armed with a handgun.
Albanian mafia steps up people smuggling
Children are pawns in Albanian mafia smuggling operations
In his second special report from the southern Adriatic, the BBC's Brian Barron investigates how Albanian gangsters are profiting from human trafficking
One of Italy's top anti-Mafia magistrates says Albanian gangsters are taking control of organised crime on both sides of the Adriatic.
The most lucrative commodities are illegal immigrants.
Everything passes via the Albanians. The road for drugs and arms and people...is in Albanian hands
Cataldo Motta, Italian anti-mafia prosecutor
In fact, trafficking in people is the world's fastest growing criminal business. In the past year, nearly 200 died trying to reach Italy.
Last week, two Italian policemen were killed as well as two Albanian smugglers, in a chase and collision in the Adriatic.
It is in this region - amid reports of more clandestine landings - that the police scour the beaches.
Large scale trafficking
However, the coast is so vast that only a small percentage of illegal immigrants are caught.
Reliable figures on the scale of people smuggling are hard to come by.
Italian warships aren't able to stop people being smuggled from Albania
There are believed to be between 20 and 40 million illegal immigrants in the world.
Several million are believed to be in Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Germany.
Italian warships are highly visible in Albanian ports in a vain attempt to deter clandestine operations.
However, Italian commanders told me they have no powers to intervene, let alone use force.
One of Italy's top prosecutors, Cataldo Motta, who has identified Albania's most dangerous mobsters, says they are a threat to Western society.
Cataldo Motta (centre) is always accompanied by armed guards
"Albanian organised crime has become a point of reference for all criminal activity today," he says.
"Everything passes via the Albanians. The road for drugs and arms and people, meaning illegal immigrants destined for Europe, is in Albanian hands."
When the prosecutor leaves his office, three police bodyguards are at his side because of the risk of assassination by Albanian gangsters.
Child labour
The latest pawns of the people smugglers are children.
Smuggled children, once in Italy, aren't usually returned to Albania
The Italian authorities will not order the enforced repatriation of anyone under 18 and the gangsters are aware of this.
At a transit camp for illegals from all over the world, 35 young Albanian teenagers are being prepared for life in Italy.
They were consigned to smugglers' boats by their families.
Roberto Matrandold, a psychiatrist, says that the children suffer from stress.
"The stress comes from the voyage itself which is more and more dangerous," he says.
I think it is the biggest problem we face in Italy and in Europe because there's so much money being made which was not the case before
Laura Balbo, adviser to the Italian prime minister
"And the kids are also under pressure from their parents, back in Albania, who've sent them over to Italy with orders to somehow find work or make money to send home."
In Rome, at a Vatican-sponsored convention, delegates heard warnings about far greater numbers of illegal immigrants in the years ahead.
Laura Balbo, an adviser to the prime minister, says that Italy wants co-ordinated European action.
"I think it is the biggest problem we face in Italy and in Europe because there's so much money being made which was not the case before," she says.
"It has become the main source of money for organised crime."
Italy's attitude towards illegal immigrants is hardening
"So it is hard to imagine how we can fight this kind of international organisation."
Public attitudes towards illegal immigrants are hardening.
They are blamed for rising crime. In fact, Italy is chronically short of workers because of its falling birth-rate and growing economy.
Paradoxically, as operations intensify against people smugglers, the door is about to be opened for many more legal immigrants.
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No nation can be criminalized because of a handful or even a hundred criminals make headlines. Sure there are Albanian criminals, thieves, and drug dealers, as there are Serbs counterparts in every country in the world where they are given residence. Does that make the Serb nation criminal-I don't think so. The same stands true for Albanians.
It doesn't matter who says what. Independence is the rightful solution. Once there are internationally recognized borders between Serbia and Kosovo/a, then you all that post in this blogger should work hard to make peace work. Neighbors can not live like enemies for centuries. Fences should be mended and doors should be opened. This is the only way to lasting peace.
All I see, few serbs who are brain washed with Milosevic's political ideas.
Maybe you guys should concentrate on your future instead of debating about an issue that isn't yours.
It's people like you guys, who made it impossible to live together in a community.
In case you didn't know, as well I can remember, I saw one day in 1995, on Fox Channel, a documentary. In that documentary they show us how thousands of serbs came across the Balkans(Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro) directly to the then Kosovo province. I saw angry Kosovo albanians who didn't welcome the serbs.
That was the first time I saw a documentary about the Kosovo province.
After seeing that documentary, I was directly on the serbs side.
Because I didn't know at that time, that it was in fact a secret plan, to send as many as possible serbs to Kosovo so they can take the province over.
How do I know that?
Well, it's simple my aunt's husband is an former CIA agent, who told me that they supported a Kosovo albanian group called "Kosovo Liberation Army" during the 90's.
He told me that in fact it wad the CIA who backed the KLA, in beginning the war on 1997.
PS:I am not a guy like the other who pretended to be italian, by using an italian common name as Alessandro.
Shame on you pal.
Natasha contrarly to the fake italian told us her opinion without need to chagne her name in fact.
I have to admire her, she should receive the "Medal Of Honor" for her courage,and her willing to tell us the truth about the Kosovo case.
I am not expecting any negative response by serb radical or praise by other people, I wrote here to show my opinion on a geopolitical case.
Sincerely Jefferson K. McMormack
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