tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post114339683721637578..comments2023-11-05T12:34:12.796+01:00Comments on Conflict and Compromise: Is better PR the solution for Kosovo's minority problem?Wim Roffelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05950733237377413606noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1154342315675606812006-07-31T12:38:00.000+02:002006-07-31T12:38:00.000+02:00Hi Anonymous,In my country (Holland) there is a mi...Hi Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>In my country (Holland) there is a minimum threshold of 10000 citizens for a municipality. Smaller ones are considered inefficient and forced to combine. Yet in France you have many municipalities with less than 1000 inhabitants and nobody seems to bother. <BR/><BR/>So I believe that there is no objective limit for the size of a municipality. Smaller municipalities will need to work together for more tasks, but I don't see that as a problem.<BR/><BR/>But I the number of municipalities is not the core of the discussion. The core of the discussion is how you can give the Serbs some autonomy so that they are a bit sheltered against the discrimination that is a fact of live of present-day Kosovo.<BR/><BR/>There are hardly any mixed villages left in Kosovo and in some of those left (like Lipljan and Cernica) Serbs are still leaving. So there is a good argument to keep things a bit separated on the administrative level too.<BR/><BR/>I don't say that the Serbs should get anything they want. But I do think that the attitude of the Albanian side in face of the problems is much too passive. They do only things when they are forced to and then the bare minimum. Northern Mitrovica for example should have become a separate municipality long ago. <BR/><BR/>I get the impression that some of the Albanian leaders don't want any solution at all: they want the remaining Serbs to leave. To appease the internationals they participate in negotiations - but that's all.Wim Roffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950733237377413606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1154273837592573572006-07-30T17:37:00.000+02:002006-07-30T17:37:00.000+02:00Hello wim. You said that the Serbs should get majo...Hello wim. You said that the Serbs should get majority municipalities. They already have some and will get few more, but I hope you agree that we cannot create a new municipality with 10 Serbs. Kosovo currently has 30 in total. The Serbs suggested 30 new with Serb majority.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1145189813492639932006-04-16T14:16:00.000+02:002006-04-16T14:16:00.000+02:00Hi Traveller One,Nice to read your blog about Tira...Hi Traveller One,<BR/><BR/>Nice to read your blog about Tirana. I have been there a few times, so it is nice to recognize all those places.<BR/><BR/>I am much more optimistic about the future of Albania than about Kosovo. Albania gives me - despite all the problems there are - the impression of a country that believes that it is able to work towards its future. Kosovo seems obsessed with things they want from others: independence, economic aid and EU membership.<BR/><BR/>WimWim Roffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950733237377413606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1144830125154781112006-04-12T10:22:00.000+02:002006-04-12T10:22:00.000+02:00Hello Wim,I just found your blog and read this pos...Hello Wim,<BR/>I just found your blog and read this post which I think is really well written and informative. I'm just an expat living in Albania, who must admit to knowing very little about the whole Balkan conflict. But now that I am living here I am trying to read and learn as much as possible about the situation. Your blog is really helpful so keep writing!<BR/>Thanks,<BR/>KimMiss Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05755376182972818159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1144272681570287902006-04-05T23:31:00.000+02:002006-04-05T23:31:00.000+02:00I agree, your site is not as extremist as Seselj. ...I agree, your site is not as extremist as Seselj. But you surely want to show one side of the picture.<BR/><BR/>It is your blog and you are responsible for the quality of the postings. I find it a bit easy to hide yourself behind the "freedom of thinking" of your readers.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I will look how your blogs develops.Wim Roffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950733237377413606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1144228506058361792006-04-05T11:15:00.000+02:002006-04-05T11:15:00.000+02:00Hallo Cvijus,I have no problem linking to extremis...Hallo Cvijus,<BR/>I have no problem linking to extremist sites from either side - as long as they get (most of) the facts right. For me the value of extremist sites is that they often bring arguments that the mainstream leaves out.<BR/>However, Mary Mostert gives me the impression that she cannot even point out the Balkan on a map - let alone Kosovo or Serbia. It looks like she heared once in her life a Serb ranting about the Kosovo war and she is reusing these not very well remembered rants again and again.Wim Roffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950733237377413606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1144179595047458362006-04-04T21:39:00.000+02:002006-04-04T21:39:00.000+02:00Cvijus, I checked your blogs (most of them I had a...Cvijus, I checked your blogs (most of them I had already considered before. I don't want to link to them for various reasons:<BR/><BR/> - Polieleos Servikos: It is an interesting subject, but I don't believe that old history should be a consideration in which should happen now in the Balkan.<BR/><BR/> - serbian-intelect-project: Looks more like an encyclopedia than a blog to me.<BR/><BR/> - balkanstudies: I am still considering this one. But I find your choice of articles sometimes a bit weak. Mary Mostert is sometimes insulting, deviating or inaccurate. For example the 200.000 Milosevic deaths. She links them to Kosovo while it is mainly about Bosnia. The second article is a bit stronger but it still leaves such strange impressions as the statement that in 2003 1192 Serbs were killed in Kosovo.<BR/><BR/>John1975, thanks for the apologies. They are accepted.Wim Roffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950733237377413606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1144155818865348662006-04-04T15:03:00.000+02:002006-04-04T15:03:00.000+02:00I just wanted to visit again and apologize for my ...I just wanted to visit again and apologize for my ignorant choice of words directed towards you the other night.<BR/><BR/>I'm embaressed to say the least. I've alos apologized to WarChild.<BR/><BR/>I shouldn't have done that.<BR/><BR/>Respectfully,<BR/><BR/>JohnJohn1975https://www.blogger.com/profile/01285219908925798439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17149992.post-1144075440438674492006-04-03T16:44:00.000+02:002006-04-03T16:44:00.000+02:00This is a great article. It is rare to find a West...This is a great article. It is rare to find a West European that has build up his own opinion without the assistance of several media. <BR/><BR/>Keep onAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com