“US recognition of severed Kosovo province was a serious mistake, leading to an escalation of tensions, instead of calming down the situation in the Balkans … consensus boils down to the fact that nobody knows where Kosovo is” (John Bolton)
“The recognition of Kosovo was premature and conditioned by great pressure from the former American administration”… [...]

Free movement is one fundamental human rights not only in one’s own country but also abroad. While speaking about Balkans I earlier have highlighted (e.g. “Forgotten Refugees – West Balkans“) the situation of Serb refugees or IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) who can not return to their original homes in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Kosovo. [...]

The “European perspective” is key concept for integrating western Balkans into EU. The main carrot for ordinary people during this millennium has been visa-free travel after some 17 years of isolation. On 15th July 2009, the European Commission submitted its proposal on visa-free travel for citizens of Western Balkans countries. After a non-binding opinion of [...]

I was just watching a film“UN death camps in Kosovo April 2009” about protest which was hold by Roma children living in UN camps in North Mitrovica, Kosovo.  The protesters however were still living, so far 81 has already dead after ten years suffering in United Nations Camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), living in [...]

It is nearly five years since the outburst of ethnic Albanian violence in Kosovo on March 17, 2004, when 19 people killed and 954 wounded and when 35 Orthodox holy sites were ruined in two days. This pogrom got its prize a year ago on February 17th when Kosovo Albanians unilaterally – but orchestrated by [...]

Police from the European Union law and justice mission in Kosovo (EULEX) have set up two customs control points in Serb dominated north Kosovo. Customs is again in place after one year when angry Serbs burnt down and pushed to nearby river the border posts in reaction to the Albanian majority’s declaration of independence from [...]

A week ago I wrote here an article “UN deciding over plan for Kosovo – which plan to select?”. On the table was a 6-point plan negotiated between UN and Serbia, and a 4-point plan, a declaration by Kosovo’s separatist government. Now we know the answer – 6-point plan was selected unanimously in UNSC. Next [...]

Some 5.000 to 10.000 Kosovo Albanians protested on Wednesday in Pristina against the UN plan on the reconfiguration of Unmik. Last week, the United Nations put forward an amended 6-point plan for the deployment of the EU’s EULEX mission. The United Nations’ six-point plan, negotiated between the UN Secretary General, Serbia and the European Union [...]

Since 1999 Mitrovica has been the flashpoint of ethnic tensions in Kosovo.  Mass demonstrations, violent clashes, shootings and teargas, but also manipulation of media for propaganda interests came familiar also to me while working there 2000-2002.  Mitrovica bridge came as symbol of confrontation between Serbs and Albanians and in spite of many multiethnic projects and [...]

Last Spring EU was building enthusiastically its Rule of Law Mission EULEX for Kosovo.  However even today EULEX has not started work, its wish is to do so before end of the year 2008.  Some hundreds EULEX mission members are already in Kosovo wondering what to do and where.
Kosovo had made unilateral declaring of  independence, [...]