President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide
LONDON -- President Tomislav Nikolić has told a British newspaper in an interview that Serbs in Kosovo are living under the threat of genocide.
Source: Tanjug, Guardian.co.uk
Close the entire text of the article here
"What if the Serbs move out. Who will accept the results of such genocide? That is one of the definitions of genocide: when you expel 40,000 people, regardless of whether they are women, men, (civilians or) soldiers, and when you change the ethnic composition of the territory. That is genocide."
Nikolić, who is currently in London, also told the Guardian newspaper in an interview that "there is a danger that Priština would be prepared to go that far", and added:
The only armed force there, apart from the international community, is (ethnic) Albanian. I am convinced they wouldn't mind doing that immediately."
According to Nikolić, "the only thing preventing such action was the presence of NATO troops".
He was speaking about the northern, majority Serb part of Kosovo that does not recognize the authority of the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština, and rejects the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in early 2008.
According to the report, he also "signaled that he would take a tougher stance" in the ongoing Belgrade-Priština talks, saying that so far, concessions were requred to be made only by Belgrade, and that now similar requirements should be put before Priština:
"What compromise has been done by Priština up to now? None. All the talks have been on things Serbia will accept. Serbia hasn't set any conditions," he said. "It's not a compromise if Serbia is always backtracking step by step. It's not a compromise if Priština says its independence is recognized and that it will realize its independence on our territory."
Nikolić "underlined an earlier declaration that he would never exercise power in Priština", writes the daily. He also called on Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga to admit she would never govern in northern Kosovska Mitrovica.
Asked whether that implied the partition of Kosovo, he replied: "I don't know, because if you told me 20 years ago there would be no Yugoslavia, I wouldn't have believed you. If you told me Serbia and Montenegro would split, I would have also told you that was impossible. I would also have said that Germany would never reunite, but life brings us surprises. I can't run policy by imagining things."
The Guardian also stressed that Nikolić used to be a prominent member of the Serb Radicals (SRS), a party led by Vojislav Šešelj, who is on trial in The Hague.
"I have committed no crime. And I am not ashamed of anything I have done since 1990 to today… These so-called paramilitary units were in line with the then Constitution of Yugoslavia. In that time, I was aware that everybody must do everything he can to defend his people and country… All peoples from the former Yugoslav took part in the war. Some of them to gain states; the Serbs to save a state. But the Serbs did not manage to accomplish their task."
According to the interview, the president "claimed the fact that the Serbs lost the war explained why there were more Serbs than other ethnicities facing charges at the war crimes tribunal, and not that it was Serbs under Slobodan Milošević who committed the majority of atrocities."
He refused to confirm whether he would have handed over Bosnian Serb was crimes suspects Radovan Karadžić or Ratko Mladić as his predecessor Boris Tadić had done.
Nikolć also "repeated his denial", writes the daily, "that the mass killings of Muslims from the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995 constituted genocide".
"I cannot go further than the Serbian parliament," he said, in reference to the parliament resolution adopted in 2010, which condemned the war crime.
Nikolić was also quoted as saying that "his greatest challenge was to fill the estimated USD 3bn hole in the budget". He asked for international assistance and claimed his country's needs were small in comparison with the scale of the eurozone crisis, but warned creditors against making their help conditional on Serbia making concessions over Kosovo:
"Maybe someone thought we were ready to make various concessions if we were poor. But we expect the international community and our friends to help us to recover the economy in line with their duties and obligations. We don't want be treated like country cousins."
"President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide"
That's not possible. The President should pay more attention to the preaching of sj in these forums that NO ONE dares to lift a finger against the Serbs – NO ONE dares.
(icj1, 2 August 2012 04:22)
Now how far back do you want to go? Where is YOUR PROOF that Albanians had Kosovo ever? Where is your proof that Serbs took anything away from you and you were indeed on that land? By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
Again, get real.
(Peggy, 1 August 2012 12:26)
Well, you either do it for everybody or you do it for nobody. If we go back to 500 AD, there is no reason why not to go back to 500 BC, 7834 BC, 15756990 BC or 5000000000 BC when Earth was created. History doesn't start when Serbs arrived in Kosovo, unless, of course, Serbs inhabitated Kosovo since the year 5000000000 BC.
P.S. I don't think that it was Albanians who were in Kosovo before Serbs; that is BS.
(icj1, 2 August 2012 03:55)
By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
-- Peggy that's the whole point. Borders change continuously. Take a look at the last 100 years. It sucks for you as a Serb but borders changing is the natural not out of ordinary. They will change again. This is not the beginning or the end. Yes borders are changed to accommodate people all the time. That is reality. Borders remaining rigid for eternity is utopic, not what really happens in the world.
(J, 1 August 2012 20:29)
Second who gave the Serbs this land?
===…==
Who gave the white Americans their land? Go and preach to them. You see, Serbs have been on their land a lot longer than the white Americans or white Australians.
Now how far back do you want to go? Where is YOUR PROOF that Albanians had Kosovo ever? Where is your proof that Serbs took anything away from you and you were indeed on that land? By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
Again, get real.
(Peggy, 1 August 2012 12:26)
You mean Serbia has to capitulate? You know this would provide a 'how to' guide to all the rest then. Does Serbia then capitulate in Presevo as well? Where does it end?
If someone takes your property do you just say that you are a bigger man and let them keep it?
Get real.
(Peggy, 31 July 2012 23:19)
Few things here. Peggy what do you mean by : has to? You are speaking in the wrong tense. Check the military Kumanovo agreement.
Second who gave the Serbs this land? You certainly aren't natives to the balkans (its ok to assume Albanians came yesterday for the sake of argument). That means that you took this land from someone else. You took someone else's property. So if in principle you are against taking someone else's property then one certainly cannot be ok with Serbia taking Kosova away from the previous owners (whoever that was). You cant be against the principle of taking someone else's land when Serbia is at a disadvantage, and be for the principle of taking someone else's property away when Serbia is at an advantage. If that's a case you're just a bitter Serb, not someone who cares about these supposedly "untouchable" principles. A quick FYI just about every country in the world was formed and changed that way. Kosova and Serbia are not the first and will certainly not be the last. Presheva was taken away from Kosova by the way. Read a little.
(j, 1 August 2012 02:13)
at some point the bigger side has to call it over.
(interestingAintIt, 30 July 2012 22:00)
===…==
You mean Serbia has to capitulate? You know this would provide a 'how to' guide to all the rest then. Does Serbia then capitulate in Presevo as well? Where does it end?
If someone takes your property do you just say that you are a bigger man and let them keep it?
Get real.
(Peggy, 31 July 2012 23:19)
MikeC, 30 July 2012 21:12)
For a people that is "offended" and in total denial that people call the thousands of innocents slaughtered by them as genocide, you sure are quick to refer to it anytime someone looks at you wrong.
Serbs destroy a village that is not genocide, no way no how. An Albanian woman throw a rock at a bus load of Serbs, thats genocide.
(oxymoron, 31 July 2012 21:57)
Yeah right, so Serbs were expelling Serbs also? Everyone was escaping NATO bombs and the conflict, which was invited by ethnic Albanian terrorists. People flee all conflicts as we see in Syria and Libya. Your propaganda was justification for committing genocide against Serbians in KiM.
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 15:49)
Strange though that almost nobody fled Belgrade even though, according to the Serbs, it was heavily bombed by the evil NATO. I guess the Serbs there were much more heroic than their Serb and Albanian co-citizens in Kosovo :)
(icj1, 31 July 2012 03:12)
MikeC, you are still not answering my question, if Kosovo gov’t would want to commit ‘genocide’ as your president says, then why there are more serbs living in an area which is controlled by ethnic Albanians than in a serb-controlled area? If we wanted genocide, the southern part of Kosovo would have been serb-free. But that’s not the reality.
The same empty threats were provided by the Serbian gov’t officials right before the declaration of independence by Kosovo…and what happened?! Nothing…and nothing will happen when northern Kosovo is integrated into Kosovo.
(blue and gold, 31 July 2012 00:01)
What is a genocide? Was it genocide when 1.000.000 armenians were killed by the turks? Was it genocide when 700.000 serbs were killed by croats at Jasenovac during WW2? According to the US and much of the Western world it's not. How then can the killing of 7000 muslims in Srebrenica be a genocide? Is it because they are muslims and worth more then non-muslims? Or is it because muslims, albanians and croats need to accuse serbs of bein genocidal to justify stealing Serbian land and expelling serbs? Jasenovac took place during WW2. Accept that as a genocide against the serbian people and then serbs will recognized their evils. However, that won't happen. All our dear neighbours want us to take blame while you genocide agains serbs is justified.
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 19:22)
Mixing apples and oranges=MikeC.
(Ardi Asllani, 30 July 2012 22:13)
i find it both interesting and very sad that people on this board are qubbling over symantics. yes, the actions taken by current government in prishtina are genocidal. yes, the actions taken by 90's belgrade government were genocidal too. yet somehow too many people are trying to downplay everything that their team did, while screaming to he heavens above about what the other guy did.
eye for an eye will eventually blind everyone. at some point the bigger side has to call it over.
(interestingAintIt, 30 July 2012 22:00)
President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide.
Nope.Like Tadic said:One side cannot get it all while the other side gets nothing.So it is time that you Serbs get some of that "all" that we Albanians got. We still haven't gotten even.
(Mark, 30 July 2012 21:29)
"If that were the case then why didn’t the serbs living in the southern part of Kosovo been expelled"
blue and gold
What in the world are you talking about? The albanians failed when they tried to expell all remaining serbs from Kosovo in the pogrom of 2004. Remember?Besides you seem to forget that only a fraction of all serbs expelled from Kosovo returned. Of course, to prevent them from returning the are acused to be Miloseviq people, thereby justifying killing them if they even try to return. One day albanains say Kosovo is 99 percent albanain now all of the sudden Kosovo is full of serbs. Well, which way is it?
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 21:12)
What an interesting character this guy is.
How can the leader of a country confuse 'genocide' with 'ethnic cleansing'?
He predicts genocide in Kosovo but he denies Srebrenica.
What do you think the powers that be think of this person...if they even know who he is?
But, wait..., there's more. He said that he never saw the break up of Yugoslavia 20 years ago.
But, wait, there's more. REally, there is more. He never in his wildest dreams would've guessed the seccession of Montenegro from Serbia.
A leader should be a visionary. This guy clearly isn't.
Where is Serbia going with this guy at it's helm?
Tadic was way better for Serbia than this guy. Then you add Dacic to the mix and you have a dangerous concoction. If we've learned anything from history we know that these things don't end well for Serbia.
(once a grobar always a grobar, 30 July 2012 19:24)
What is a genocide? Was it genocide when 1.000.000 armenians were killed by the turks? Was it genocide when 700.000 serbs were killed by croats at Jasenovac during WW2? According to the US and much of the Western world it's not. How then can the killing of 7000 muslims in Srebrenica be a genocide? Is it because they are muslims and worth more then non-muslims? Or is it because muslims, albanians and croats need to accuse serbs of bein genocidal to justify stealing Serbian land and expelling serbs? Jasenovac took place during WW2. Accept that as a genocide against the serbian people and then serbs will recognized their evils. However, that won't happen. All our dear neighbours want us to take blame while you genocide agains serbs is justified.
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 19:22)
"What if the Serbs move out. Who will accept the results of such genocide? That is one of the definitions of genocide: when you expel 40,000 people, regardless of whether they are women, men, (civilians or) soldiers, and when you change the ethnic composition of the territory. That is genocide."
Can someone (his advisors) explain to this guy that’s not a definition of genocide? Genocide is an act of killing a certain group of people (i.e., Srebrenica)…not expelling them.
I completely disagree with his silly threats. If that were the case then why didn’t the serbs living in the southern part of Kosovo been expelled, or undergone genocide as he explains it?! More serbs live in the southern part of Kosovo/a then they do in the northern part.
(blue and gold, 30 July 2012 18:56)
How can a prime minister of a country lie and make propaganda to such an extent only the Serbians have face (or rather not) to make such claims. Mr Nikolic-u you were the Vuk of balkans for decades and now you're claiming to have mysteriously turned into a sheep. And denying a world-wide approved genocide in Srebrenica. Shame.
(onlyme, 30 July 2012 18:05)
Calling a genocide the situation of serbs in Kosova,who own 3-4 hauses in Belgrade and get pay triple as an average serb,is funny a least.
The same clawn refuse to call genocide or even the massacer(hi voted against the Sebrenica resolution in serbian parliament)killing of 8 thousand muslims in Bosnia,just because they were non serbs.
It looks the meaning of genocide, according to Nikolic, has changed upside down or he needs to visit a good psychiatrist.
(Mirel from Albania, 30 July 2012 17:13)
One of the main causes of difficult situation of Serbs on teritory of Kosovo is the excessive fertility rate of Albanians in that region ! During 1960 to 1990 period, Albanian women have been known to give birth to close to 10 children , while other ethnic groups including Serbs had a much lower fertility. Thie resulted in percentage increase of Albanians from around a 33% in 1950-ties to the present of close to 90% !
This process of "aggression by propagation" needs to be taken seriously when the issue of "solution" to Kosovo is considered. Unfortunately, this issue is considered a "taboo" topic, and Albanians are continuing to exploit it in their desire to dominate not only Kosovo, but even other regions of "ex-Yugoslavia". D.Kustudic'
(Dus'an Kustudic', 30 July 2012 16:23)
I wanted previously to say that it's a shame if, and as it so often happens, the term genocide is used as a political term, not as a legal term. Anyone interested can read here what has been agreed as for a definition of genocide:
So if Nikolic knows that genocide is on-going in Kosovo it's his duty to make moves about it. He should for example take it to European Council and other international bodies and demand a thorough and immediate investigation on it. That is if he truly believes his own claims. Otherwise all his talk is boring and void bla bla for tired ears.
To tell that there's an on-going genocide in Kosovo is a HEAVY accusation. But in the mouth of Nikolic it's just a bubble gum.
Sorry, Zoran, that the planned meeting in Belgrade this June failed from my side. Certain family issues took most of my limited time in the city. I managed to escape once for a beer in Znak pitanja but that was all. If you happen to travel to Montenegro let me know. I'm living close to Petrovac na more.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 16:01)
Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05)
--
Yeah right, so Serbs were expelling Serbs also? Everyone was escaping NATO bombs and the conflict, which was invited by ethnic Albanian terrorists. People flee all conflicts as we see in Syria and Libya. Your propaganda was justification for committing genocide against Serbians in KiM.
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 15:49)
Did this guy forget the mass deportation of 900,000+ Albanians by the Serbs? What was that called? AC - I don't think that Albanians feeing KiM during a civil war, with fighting between Serb forces and the KLA, with NATO bombs falling all around, constitutes genocide, AC. As much as Albanians want to portray themselves as the poor victims in 1999 Kosovo, they are not. They fled, and then came back. How is that genocide, or even ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing is what the Albanians did to Serbs in 2004, when hundreds of thousands of Serbs fled KiM to save their lives - not to mention Albanian ethnic cleansing of Serbs for over 100 years, starting with their allegiance to the Ottomans, and then Nazi Germany. Why do Albanians only mention 1999, and never the evil they committed through out Balkan history?
(ecoman, 30 July 2012 15:35)
"Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05) "
Firstly it was UCK who needed show - read Milosevic court transcripts where UCK "Chief of Staff" admits that.
Secondly - If muslim invaders come to Serbs`homeland and try to kill and expel all Serbs then kicking out of intruders is what every normal nation would do - therefore driving invading mulsim hords back to Albania is a VERY acceptable - i would like to see a single leftists pro-albo who would not do that if the case were about their homeland and their people.
Thirdly, at some point people are running out of bread and water, there will be too many of them, do you really think that the problem will be solved peacefully? First will die those recklessly overbreeding, backwarded and supremacy driven people who like to steal neighbours property...law of nature, or submissive and feeble group - so far it seems Serbs do have backbone as for instance Jews...
(to bridge, 30 July 2012 15:35)
The greatest threat in the balkans is albanian expansionism. Everyone knows it but are still too afraid to question it. A matter of time before these narco terrorists are brought to heel. The world will be a safer and better place.
(Jeff, 30 July 2012 15:29)
" But we expect the international community and our friends to help us to recover the economy in line with their duties and obligations. We don't want be treated like country cousins."
Everyone is Entitled to their own Genuinely Held Opinions regarding History; because, believe it or not. Euro-American Politicians and the Albanian Leaders have been known on many occasions to tell Lies upon Lies, upon Lies.
The first thing for everyone who claims to be Democratic, and aspires to Euro-American Values, or it is better to say Perceptions of Democratic Euro-American Values, or more correctly Myths of Democratic Euro-American Values, knows that two wrongs can never make a right.
There are many People who think that that the Leadrrs of Britain and America and the Leaders of the Albanians planne the evactuation of Albanians fro Kosovo to gain Victim Status to help them steal Kosovo.
The President of Serbia and all of the Serbian Parliamentaians were not responsible for any of the trouble, but the Alnanians and the leading Nations of NATO are guilty of this Conspiracy to steal Serbian Land.
The Albanians explelled and murdered many Non Albanians during World War 2 with the help of the Nazis, and after the Neo Nazi NATO War of 1999 to steal Kosovo, and the Albanian Hyopcrites Brazenly accuse others of what they were Firstly Guilt of, and Continue to be Guilty of, and they need to stop with the Lies and Injustice, and start telling the Truth!
(Yet Another J S, 30 July 2012 15:20)
Sure there's a simple middle way: Split Kosovo along the Ibar river.
(Comm. Parrisson)
If it would be easy somebody of note would have already promote it. Why Serbian politicians never brought it up during the Athisaari talks? Even now I don't hear much about it, just unclear statements of "demarcations". This only as a side not.
The truth is that you cannot split Kosovo along Ibar, because it does not make sense, except you are part of the Veselinovic clan who above all just try to protect their "business". Most, if not all,important Serbian sites and towns are South and those are fully intergrated into Kosovo's structures. So why and especially how should be the North partition be a compromise? You just open more questions, such as Presovo, Sandzak, Northern Vojvodina, etc. Furthermore, the complex A-Plan which includes a lot of advantage for the Serbian minority would be for that specific point useless, if one third of the Serbian minority would be gone. I don't see a single advantage in partition, only more problems. The best would can be achieved there, would be to give Serbia the consent for certain areas, such as schools and hospitals (in case the money really goes there and does not end up in clandestine pockets so that hospitals don't pay their electricity bill), something what has been granted to the German speaking people in South Tirol, but certainly not more.
Like I said before, there is no middle way. The A-Plan is the best what can be done.
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 15:15)
Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05)
The President knows pretty well that Kosovo is gone for good. It would be wise of him if he looks towards EU and improved relations with US. chris sam - Serbia does not want to rule over the Albanians in KiM, they are simply trying to preserve their nation's interests there. That includes the welfare of the Serb people in KiM, and Serbian territorial interests, geographic and economic. There will be no recognition of an independent KiM, but agreements between the Serbs and Albanians can, and will be reached - just not sure what decade.
(ecoman, 30 July 2012 13:55)
An under what thread were Albanians living between 1991-1999? Did this guy forget the mass deportation of 900,000+ Albanians by the Serbs? What was that called? Also, the Serbs now may feel threatened, and there have been killings and abuses, but no where near what the Serbs did. If this is genocide, what do you call what the Serbs did Mr Nikolic?
(AC, 30 July 2012 13:55)
"There will never be a compromise in that matter because either Kosovo is independent or Serbian. There is no middle way and independence is the dedicated will of the people there. Ergo, independence has been chosen, because it is the people there who has to deal with consequence."
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 12:19)
Sure there's a simple middle way: Split Kosovo along the Ibar river. The international sponsors obviously expected that a multi-ethnic state of Kosovo could be created, but everybody should have noticed that it didn't work out, there's no democratic and multi-ethnic state of Kosovo, the project failed, there's only a mafia-state of Kosovo with corrupt and criminal politicians, a biased police, and ethnical hate and discrimination is present everywhere. Kosovo's provincial borders were drawn artificially anyway, including the north only to have a more euqal ethnical balance.
(Comm. Parrisson, 30 July 2012 13:53)
Seems that you haven't followed the Balkans politics long time yet. Anyway, Nikolic joins others who want the true meaning of genocide watered down.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 10:58)
--
Olli, good to see you back. I don't think Nikolic is watering down genocide as based on people's perceptions, the term has been watered down to fit in the Srebrencia massacre.
If, however, the terms is correct then you can be sure it applies to certain circumstances based on politics and not reality. As such, why don't we refer to operation storm as genocide? The constant ethnic cleansing of Serbs from KiM is genocide. Turkey's genocide in Armenia. In fact, the US was built on genocide by killing off practically most indigenous Indians. It even committed genocide in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
Could it be that the term does not apply to the US and its partners in crimes but anyone who dares to resist the NATO death machine will have this badge pinned to them?
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 13:23)
Nikolic really did Serbia no favour with his rants. The next 4 years will be a lot tougher under him than the last 4 years under Tadic.
(T, 30 July 2012 12:35)
There is really not much to say. Nikolic denies the proven genocide in Srebrenica while simlutaneously claiming that such a thing happens in Kosovo if Pristina neutralizes the parallel structures in the North. How laughable and the usual brabble of a Serbian politician who barely gets the attention he wants.
Furthermore, he's whining about "where is compromise when Kosovo insists in its independence", he can ask himself where is the compromise when Serbia insists that Kosovo is Serbian. There will never be a compromise in that matter because either Kosovo is independent or Serbian. There is no middle way and independence is the dedicated will of the people there. Ergo, independence has been chosen, because it is the people there who has to deal with consequence. Or is this just the foreplay for partition? Well, then we understand why Vojvodina got special attention recently from Belgrade, but I doubt that you can control that, if you opt that way, neither you will control South Serbia (Presovo) anymore. Just give it a try and you'll see..
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 12:19)
What Nikolic says to a British newspaper that he knows will be re-reported back in Serbia is one thing, what promises he is making to western officials behind closed doors is quite another.
I suppose tough talk is great for those that want to hear a certain message, despite the truth.
Still, its great that Nikolic is enjoying the olympics and extended holiday to London. Lets hope the damage to the Serbian taxpayer for him and his entourage doesn't create an even larger hole in the budget...
(bganon, 30 July 2012 11:59)
a man in denial. serbs fought to save a state? which one, narnia? oh i see, this is the widely believed myth that serbs wanted to hold yugoslavia together. p.s. read between the lines here, he is calling for partition.
(Nikolle, 30 July 2012 11:50)
What is this guy saying? he is a complete joke, he sounds like Gaddafi!!!
40,000 may live in the north howerver 160,000 live in the rest of Kosovo! so his saying genocide (which actualy means "the deliberate and systematic destruction, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group") to the Serbs who live north and the rest are safe under Prishtinas government.
This is the last resort to gain something and "save face" the north of Mitrovica is Mitrovica and its part of Kosovo.
In 1905-1915 The majority of the population in Nis and Sanxhak was Albanian!!! we will not move our border every 100 years to suit the Serb extremists who are absolutely vial in everyway.
(Krasniq't, 30 July 2012 11:44)
We know that the British Conservative Party does not have a Majority in Parliament and that if all of the other Political Parties want to, they can ask for a New Election.
Serbia should write this to all of the British Political Parties who have Seats in Parliament.
The issue is the handling of Kosovo, where Prime David Cameron and the British Conservatives will shown to be Nazis.
The British Labour Party will off the Liberal Democrats a Coalition, even if the British Labour Party has a Majority after the Election.
The smaller Political Parties in Britain will have smaller Electorates, so that they can increase their Representation in Parliament, with the slogan of a weaker English means a stronger Britain.
Germany would not mind, even though the British will not join the Euro, but they might not Vote to leave the European Union.
This is more than enough to write to each Member of the British Parliament, as they will know how to handle it, and they would like to increase their Representation in their Parliament.
(Yet Another J S, 30 July 2012 11:01)
Seems that you haven't followed the Balkans politics long time yet. Anyway, Nikolic joins others who want the true meaning of genocide watered down.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 10:58)
According to Nikolić, "the only thing preventing such action was the presence of NATO troops".
Meh that is sort of misleading. In a way it is true, if NATO-KFOR left and nobody else came in then the Serbs would suffer terrible genocide, mass execution, destruction of property & churches and ethnic cleansing.
However NATO troops withdrawing from Kosovo* means Serbia has the right, obligation and military capacity retake its legal borders that is internationally recognized by 61% of UN member states the and thereby liberating the province from KLA occupation for the freedom of both Serbs & Albanians.
There is just no other way really. You wont even try to actually compromise(Northern Kosovo cannot be a compromise since Pristina could never control it) and rather opt to de-humanize the remaining Serbs in an effort to drive the rest of them out since you cannot outright murder them because of international presence.
For the sake of peace, most people will try to compromise. But rabid Albanian nationalists are so far away from what could be a permanent solution and completely delusional that a compromise appears impossible.
Under no circumstance should the people of Northern Kosovo, Gracanica, Strpce and the Monasteries throughout Kosovo i Metohija should ever have to answer to "Kosovo*" institutions. You want way too much and for that you will end up with 0 of it because this kind of peace is unsustainable.
(Ari Gold, 30 July 2012 10:57)
No one expects other views and stances from the President. He is a hard line nationalist and the mediatic use of such terms as genocide, ethnic cleansing and war are simply a distraction from the big political and economic issues of Serbia. The President knows pretty well that Kosovo is gone for good. It would be wise of him if he looks towards EU and improved relations with US.
(chris sam, 30 July 2012 10:38)
a man in denial. serbs fought to save a state? which one, narnia? oh i see, this is the widely believed myth that serbs wanted to hold yugoslavia together. p.s. read between the lines here, he is calling for partition.
(Nikolle, 30 July 2012 11:50)
Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05)
No one expects other views and stances from the President. He is a hard line nationalist and the mediatic use of such terms as genocide, ethnic cleansing and war are simply a distraction from the big political and economic issues of Serbia. The President knows pretty well that Kosovo is gone for good. It would be wise of him if he looks towards EU and improved relations with US.
(chris sam, 30 July 2012 10:38)
According to Nikolić, "the only thing preventing such action was the presence of NATO troops".
Meh that is sort of misleading. In a way it is true, if NATO-KFOR left and nobody else came in then the Serbs would suffer terrible genocide, mass execution, destruction of property & churches and ethnic cleansing.
However NATO troops withdrawing from Kosovo* means Serbia has the right, obligation and military capacity retake its legal borders that is internationally recognized by 61% of UN member states the and thereby liberating the province from KLA occupation for the freedom of both Serbs & Albanians.
There is just no other way really. You wont even try to actually compromise(Northern Kosovo cannot be a compromise since Pristina could never control it) and rather opt to de-humanize the remaining Serbs in an effort to drive the rest of them out since you cannot outright murder them because of international presence.
For the sake of peace, most people will try to compromise. But rabid Albanian nationalists are so far away from what could be a permanent solution and completely delusional that a compromise appears impossible.
Under no circumstance should the people of Northern Kosovo, Gracanica, Strpce and the Monasteries throughout Kosovo i Metohija should ever have to answer to "Kosovo*" institutions. You want way too much and for that you will end up with 0 of it because this kind of peace is unsustainable.
(Ari Gold, 30 July 2012 10:57)
What Nikolic says to a British newspaper that he knows will be re-reported back in Serbia is one thing, what promises he is making to western officials behind closed doors is quite another.
I suppose tough talk is great for those that want to hear a certain message, despite the truth.
Still, its great that Nikolic is enjoying the olympics and extended holiday to London. Lets hope the damage to the Serbian taxpayer for him and his entourage doesn't create an even larger hole in the budget...
(bganon, 30 July 2012 11:59)
What is this guy saying? he is a complete joke, he sounds like Gaddafi!!!
40,000 may live in the north howerver 160,000 live in the rest of Kosovo! so his saying genocide (which actualy means "the deliberate and systematic destruction, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group") to the Serbs who live north and the rest are safe under Prishtinas government.
This is the last resort to gain something and "save face" the north of Mitrovica is Mitrovica and its part of Kosovo.
In 1905-1915 The majority of the population in Nis and Sanxhak was Albanian!!! we will not move our border every 100 years to suit the Serb extremists who are absolutely vial in everyway.
(Krasniq't, 30 July 2012 11:44)
Calling a genocide the situation of serbs in Kosova,who own 3-4 hauses in Belgrade and get pay triple as an average serb,is funny a least.
The same clawn refuse to call genocide or even the massacer(hi voted against the Sebrenica resolution in serbian parliament)killing of 8 thousand muslims in Bosnia,just because they were non serbs.
It looks the meaning of genocide, according to Nikolic, has changed upside down or he needs to visit a good psychiatrist.
(Mirel from Albania, 30 July 2012 17:13)
Nikolic really did Serbia no favour with his rants. The next 4 years will be a lot tougher under him than the last 4 years under Tadic.
(T, 30 July 2012 12:35)
There is really not much to say. Nikolic denies the proven genocide in Srebrenica while simlutaneously claiming that such a thing happens in Kosovo if Pristina neutralizes the parallel structures in the North. How laughable and the usual brabble of a Serbian politician who barely gets the attention he wants.
Furthermore, he's whining about "where is compromise when Kosovo insists in its independence", he can ask himself where is the compromise when Serbia insists that Kosovo is Serbian. There will never be a compromise in that matter because either Kosovo is independent or Serbian. There is no middle way and independence is the dedicated will of the people there. Ergo, independence has been chosen, because it is the people there who has to deal with consequence. Or is this just the foreplay for partition? Well, then we understand why Vojvodina got special attention recently from Belgrade, but I doubt that you can control that, if you opt that way, neither you will control South Serbia (Presovo) anymore. Just give it a try and you'll see..
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 12:19)
What an interesting character this guy is.
How can the leader of a country confuse 'genocide' with 'ethnic cleansing'?
He predicts genocide in Kosovo but he denies Srebrenica.
What do you think the powers that be think of this person...if they even know who he is?
But, wait..., there's more. He said that he never saw the break up of Yugoslavia 20 years ago.
But, wait, there's more. REally, there is more. He never in his wildest dreams would've guessed the seccession of Montenegro from Serbia.
A leader should be a visionary. This guy clearly isn't.
Where is Serbia going with this guy at it's helm?
Tadic was way better for Serbia than this guy. Then you add Dacic to the mix and you have a dangerous concoction. If we've learned anything from history we know that these things don't end well for Serbia.
(once a grobar always a grobar, 30 July 2012 19:24)
Seems that you haven't followed the Balkans politics long time yet. Anyway, Nikolic joins others who want the true meaning of genocide watered down.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 10:58)
--
Olli, good to see you back. I don't think Nikolic is watering down genocide as based on people's perceptions, the term has been watered down to fit in the Srebrencia massacre.
If, however, the terms is correct then you can be sure it applies to certain circumstances based on politics and not reality. As such, why don't we refer to operation storm as genocide? The constant ethnic cleansing of Serbs from KiM is genocide. Turkey's genocide in Armenia. In fact, the US was built on genocide by killing off practically most indigenous Indians. It even committed genocide in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
Could it be that the term does not apply to the US and its partners in crimes but anyone who dares to resist the NATO death machine will have this badge pinned to them?
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 13:23)
An under what thread were Albanians living between 1991-1999? Did this guy forget the mass deportation of 900,000+ Albanians by the Serbs? What was that called? Also, the Serbs now may feel threatened, and there have been killings and abuses, but no where near what the Serbs did. If this is genocide, what do you call what the Serbs did Mr Nikolic?
(AC, 30 July 2012 13:55)
How can a prime minister of a country lie and make propaganda to such an extent only the Serbians have face (or rather not) to make such claims. Mr Nikolic-u you were the Vuk of balkans for decades and now you're claiming to have mysteriously turned into a sheep. And denying a world-wide approved genocide in Srebrenica. Shame.
(onlyme, 30 July 2012 18:05)
Seems that you haven't followed the Balkans politics long time yet. Anyway, Nikolic joins others who want the true meaning of genocide watered down.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 10:58)
"There will never be a compromise in that matter because either Kosovo is independent or Serbian. There is no middle way and independence is the dedicated will of the people there. Ergo, independence has been chosen, because it is the people there who has to deal with consequence."
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 12:19)
Sure there's a simple middle way: Split Kosovo along the Ibar river. The international sponsors obviously expected that a multi-ethnic state of Kosovo could be created, but everybody should have noticed that it didn't work out, there's no democratic and multi-ethnic state of Kosovo, the project failed, there's only a mafia-state of Kosovo with corrupt and criminal politicians, a biased police, and ethnical hate and discrimination is present everywhere. Kosovo's provincial borders were drawn artificially anyway, including the north only to have a more euqal ethnical balance.
(Comm. Parrisson, 30 July 2012 13:53)
Sure there's a simple middle way: Split Kosovo along the Ibar river.
(Comm. Parrisson)
If it would be easy somebody of note would have already promote it. Why Serbian politicians never brought it up during the Athisaari talks? Even now I don't hear much about it, just unclear statements of "demarcations". This only as a side not.
The truth is that you cannot split Kosovo along Ibar, because it does not make sense, except you are part of the Veselinovic clan who above all just try to protect their "business". Most, if not all,important Serbian sites and towns are South and those are fully intergrated into Kosovo's structures. So why and especially how should be the North partition be a compromise? You just open more questions, such as Presovo, Sandzak, Northern Vojvodina, etc. Furthermore, the complex A-Plan which includes a lot of advantage for the Serbian minority would be for that specific point useless, if one third of the Serbian minority would be gone. I don't see a single advantage in partition, only more problems. The best would can be achieved there, would be to give Serbia the consent for certain areas, such as schools and hospitals (in case the money really goes there and does not end up in clandestine pockets so that hospitals don't pay their electricity bill), something what has been granted to the German speaking people in South Tirol, but certainly not more.
Like I said before, there is no middle way. The A-Plan is the best what can be done.
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 15:15)
I wanted previously to say that it's a shame if, and as it so often happens, the term genocide is used as a political term, not as a legal term. Anyone interested can read here what has been agreed as for a definition of genocide:
So if Nikolic knows that genocide is on-going in Kosovo it's his duty to make moves about it. He should for example take it to European Council and other international bodies and demand a thorough and immediate investigation on it. That is if he truly believes his own claims. Otherwise all his talk is boring and void bla bla for tired ears.
To tell that there's an on-going genocide in Kosovo is a HEAVY accusation. But in the mouth of Nikolic it's just a bubble gum.
Sorry, Zoran, that the planned meeting in Belgrade this June failed from my side. Certain family issues took most of my limited time in the city. I managed to escape once for a beer in Znak pitanja but that was all. If you happen to travel to Montenegro let me know. I'm living close to Petrovac na more.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 16:01)
"What if the Serbs move out. Who will accept the results of such genocide? That is one of the definitions of genocide: when you expel 40,000 people, regardless of whether they are women, men, (civilians or) soldiers, and when you change the ethnic composition of the territory. That is genocide."
Can someone (his advisors) explain to this guy that’s not a definition of genocide? Genocide is an act of killing a certain group of people (i.e., Srebrenica)…not expelling them.
I completely disagree with his silly threats. If that were the case then why didn’t the serbs living in the southern part of Kosovo been expelled, or undergone genocide as he explains it?! More serbs live in the southern part of Kosovo/a then they do in the northern part.
(blue and gold, 30 July 2012 18:56)
The greatest threat in the balkans is albanian expansionism. Everyone knows it but are still too afraid to question it. A matter of time before these narco terrorists are brought to heel. The world will be a safer and better place.
(Jeff, 30 July 2012 15:29)
Everyone is Entitled to their own Genuinely Held Opinions regarding History; because, believe it or not. Euro-American Politicians and the Albanian Leaders have been known on many occasions to tell Lies upon Lies, upon Lies.
The first thing for everyone who claims to be Democratic, and aspires to Euro-American Values, or it is better to say Perceptions of Democratic Euro-American Values, or more correctly Myths of Democratic Euro-American Values, knows that two wrongs can never make a right.
There are many People who think that that the Leadrrs of Britain and America and the Leaders of the Albanians planne the evactuation of Albanians fro Kosovo to gain Victim Status to help them steal Kosovo.
The President of Serbia and all of the Serbian Parliamentaians were not responsible for any of the trouble, but the Alnanians and the leading Nations of NATO are guilty of this Conspiracy to steal Serbian Land.
The Albanians explelled and murdered many Non Albanians during World War 2 with the help of the Nazis, and after the Neo Nazi NATO War of 1999 to steal Kosovo, and the Albanian Hyopcrites Brazenly accuse others of what they were Firstly Guilt of, and Continue to be Guilty of, and they need to stop with the Lies and Injustice, and start telling the Truth!
(Yet Another J S, 30 July 2012 15:20)
We know that the British Conservative Party does not have a Majority in Parliament and that if all of the other Political Parties want to, they can ask for a New Election.
Serbia should write this to all of the British Political Parties who have Seats in Parliament.
The issue is the handling of Kosovo, where Prime David Cameron and the British Conservatives will shown to be Nazis.
The British Labour Party will off the Liberal Democrats a Coalition, even if the British Labour Party has a Majority after the Election.
The smaller Political Parties in Britain will have smaller Electorates, so that they can increase their Representation in Parliament, with the slogan of a weaker English means a stronger Britain.
Germany would not mind, even though the British will not join the Euro, but they might not Vote to leave the European Union.
This is more than enough to write to each Member of the British Parliament, as they will know how to handle it, and they would like to increase their Representation in their Parliament.
(Yet Another J S, 30 July 2012 11:01)
" But we expect the international community and our friends to help us to recover the economy in line with their duties and obligations. We don't want be treated like country cousins."
The President knows pretty well that Kosovo is gone for good. It would be wise of him if he looks towards EU and improved relations with US. chris sam - Serbia does not want to rule over the Albanians in KiM, they are simply trying to preserve their nation's interests there. That includes the welfare of the Serb people in KiM, and Serbian territorial interests, geographic and economic. There will be no recognition of an independent KiM, but agreements between the Serbs and Albanians can, and will be reached - just not sure what decade.
(ecoman, 30 July 2012 13:55)
Did this guy forget the mass deportation of 900,000+ Albanians by the Serbs? What was that called? AC - I don't think that Albanians feeing KiM during a civil war, with fighting between Serb forces and the KLA, with NATO bombs falling all around, constitutes genocide, AC. As much as Albanians want to portray themselves as the poor victims in 1999 Kosovo, they are not. They fled, and then came back. How is that genocide, or even ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing is what the Albanians did to Serbs in 2004, when hundreds of thousands of Serbs fled KiM to save their lives - not to mention Albanian ethnic cleansing of Serbs for over 100 years, starting with their allegiance to the Ottomans, and then Nazi Germany. Why do Albanians only mention 1999, and never the evil they committed through out Balkan history?
(ecoman, 30 July 2012 15:35)
What is a genocide? Was it genocide when 1.000.000 armenians were killed by the turks? Was it genocide when 700.000 serbs were killed by croats at Jasenovac during WW2? According to the US and much of the Western world it's not. How then can the killing of 7000 muslims in Srebrenica be a genocide? Is it because they are muslims and worth more then non-muslims? Or is it because muslims, albanians and croats need to accuse serbs of bein genocidal to justify stealing Serbian land and expelling serbs? Jasenovac took place during WW2. Accept that as a genocide against the serbian people and then serbs will recognized their evils. However, that won't happen. All our dear neighbours want us to take blame while you genocide agains serbs is justified.
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 19:22)
Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05)
--
Yeah right, so Serbs were expelling Serbs also? Everyone was escaping NATO bombs and the conflict, which was invited by ethnic Albanian terrorists. People flee all conflicts as we see in Syria and Libya. Your propaganda was justification for committing genocide against Serbians in KiM.
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 15:49)
One of the main causes of difficult situation of Serbs on teritory of Kosovo is the excessive fertility rate of Albanians in that region ! During 1960 to 1990 period, Albanian women have been known to give birth to close to 10 children , while other ethnic groups including Serbs had a much lower fertility. Thie resulted in percentage increase of Albanians from around a 33% in 1950-ties to the present of close to 90% !
This process of "aggression by propagation" needs to be taken seriously when the issue of "solution" to Kosovo is considered. Unfortunately, this issue is considered a "taboo" topic, and Albanians are continuing to exploit it in their desire to dominate not only Kosovo, but even other regions of "ex-Yugoslavia". D.Kustudic'
(Dus'an Kustudic', 30 July 2012 16:23)
"Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05) "
Firstly it was UCK who needed show - read Milosevic court transcripts where UCK "Chief of Staff" admits that.
Secondly - If muslim invaders come to Serbs`homeland and try to kill and expel all Serbs then kicking out of intruders is what every normal nation would do - therefore driving invading mulsim hords back to Albania is a VERY acceptable - i would like to see a single leftists pro-albo who would not do that if the case were about their homeland and their people.
Thirdly, at some point people are running out of bread and water, there will be too many of them, do you really think that the problem will be solved peacefully? First will die those recklessly overbreeding, backwarded and supremacy driven people who like to steal neighbours property...law of nature, or submissive and feeble group - so far it seems Serbs do have backbone as for instance Jews...
(to bridge, 30 July 2012 15:35)
What is a genocide? Was it genocide when 1.000.000 armenians were killed by the turks? Was it genocide when 700.000 serbs were killed by croats at Jasenovac during WW2? According to the US and much of the Western world it's not. How then can the killing of 7000 muslims in Srebrenica be a genocide? Is it because they are muslims and worth more then non-muslims? Or is it because muslims, albanians and croats need to accuse serbs of bein genocidal to justify stealing Serbian land and expelling serbs? Jasenovac took place during WW2. Accept that as a genocide against the serbian people and then serbs will recognized their evils. However, that won't happen. All our dear neighbours want us to take blame while you genocide agains serbs is justified.
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 19:22)
Mixing apples and oranges=MikeC.
(Ardi Asllani, 30 July 2012 22:13)
Yeah right, so Serbs were expelling Serbs also? Everyone was escaping NATO bombs and the conflict, which was invited by ethnic Albanian terrorists. People flee all conflicts as we see in Syria and Libya. Your propaganda was justification for committing genocide against Serbians in KiM.
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 15:49)
Strange though that almost nobody fled Belgrade even though, according to the Serbs, it was heavily bombed by the evil NATO. I guess the Serbs there were much more heroic than their Serb and Albanian co-citizens in Kosovo :)
(icj1, 31 July 2012 03:12)
"If that were the case then why didn’t the serbs living in the southern part of Kosovo been expelled"
blue and gold
What in the world are you talking about? The albanians failed when they tried to expell all remaining serbs from Kosovo in the pogrom of 2004. Remember?Besides you seem to forget that only a fraction of all serbs expelled from Kosovo returned. Of course, to prevent them from returning the are acused to be Miloseviq people, thereby justifying killing them if they even try to return. One day albanains say Kosovo is 99 percent albanain now all of the sudden Kosovo is full of serbs. Well, which way is it?
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 21:12)
President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide.
Nope.Like Tadic said:One side cannot get it all while the other side gets nothing.So it is time that you Serbs get some of that "all" that we Albanians got. We still haven't gotten even.
(Mark, 30 July 2012 21:29)
MikeC, you are still not answering my question, if Kosovo gov’t would want to commit ‘genocide’ as your president says, then why there are more serbs living in an area which is controlled by ethnic Albanians than in a serb-controlled area? If we wanted genocide, the southern part of Kosovo would have been serb-free. But that’s not the reality.
The same empty threats were provided by the Serbian gov’t officials right before the declaration of independence by Kosovo…and what happened?! Nothing…and nothing will happen when northern Kosovo is integrated into Kosovo.
(blue and gold, 31 July 2012 00:01)
MikeC, 30 July 2012 21:12)
For a people that is "offended" and in total denial that people call the thousands of innocents slaughtered by them as genocide, you sure are quick to refer to it anytime someone looks at you wrong.
Serbs destroy a village that is not genocide, no way no how. An Albanian woman throw a rock at a bus load of Serbs, thats genocide.
(oxymoron, 31 July 2012 21:57)
By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
-- Peggy that's the whole point. Borders change continuously. Take a look at the last 100 years. It sucks for you as a Serb but borders changing is the natural not out of ordinary. They will change again. This is not the beginning or the end. Yes borders are changed to accommodate people all the time. That is reality. Borders remaining rigid for eternity is utopic, not what really happens in the world.
(J, 1 August 2012 20:29)
i find it both interesting and very sad that people on this board are qubbling over symantics. yes, the actions taken by current government in prishtina are genocidal. yes, the actions taken by 90's belgrade government were genocidal too. yet somehow too many people are trying to downplay everything that their team did, while screaming to he heavens above about what the other guy did.
eye for an eye will eventually blind everyone. at some point the bigger side has to call it over.
(interestingAintIt, 30 July 2012 22:00)
Now how far back do you want to go? Where is YOUR PROOF that Albanians had Kosovo ever? Where is your proof that Serbs took anything away from you and you were indeed on that land? By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
Again, get real.
(Peggy, 1 August 2012 12:26)
Well, you either do it for everybody or you do it for nobody. If we go back to 500 AD, there is no reason why not to go back to 500 BC, 7834 BC, 15756990 BC or 5000000000 BC when Earth was created. History doesn't start when Serbs arrived in Kosovo, unless, of course, Serbs inhabitated Kosovo since the year 5000000000 BC.
P.S. I don't think that it was Albanians who were in Kosovo before Serbs; that is BS.
(icj1, 2 August 2012 03:55)
"President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide"
That's not possible. The President should pay more attention to the preaching of sj in these forums that NO ONE dares to lift a finger against the Serbs – NO ONE dares.
(icj1, 2 August 2012 04:22)
Second who gave the Serbs this land?
===…==
Who gave the white Americans their land? Go and preach to them. You see, Serbs have been on their land a lot longer than the white Americans or white Australians.
Now how far back do you want to go? Where is YOUR PROOF that Albanians had Kosovo ever? Where is your proof that Serbs took anything away from you and you were indeed on that land? By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
Again, get real.
(Peggy, 1 August 2012 12:26)
You mean Serbia has to capitulate? You know this would provide a 'how to' guide to all the rest then. Does Serbia then capitulate in Presevo as well? Where does it end?
If someone takes your property do you just say that you are a bigger man and let them keep it?
Get real.
(Peggy, 31 July 2012 23:19)
Few things here. Peggy what do you mean by : has to? You are speaking in the wrong tense. Check the military Kumanovo agreement.
Second who gave the Serbs this land? You certainly aren't natives to the balkans (its ok to assume Albanians came yesterday for the sake of argument). That means that you took this land from someone else. You took someone else's property. So if in principle you are against taking someone else's property then one certainly cannot be ok with Serbia taking Kosova away from the previous owners (whoever that was). You cant be against the principle of taking someone else's land when Serbia is at a disadvantage, and be for the principle of taking someone else's property away when Serbia is at an advantage. If that's a case you're just a bitter Serb, not someone who cares about these supposedly "untouchable" principles. A quick FYI just about every country in the world was formed and changed that way. Kosova and Serbia are not the first and will certainly not be the last. Presheva was taken away from Kosova by the way. Read a little.
(j, 1 August 2012 02:13)
at some point the bigger side has to call it over.
(interestingAintIt, 30 July 2012 22:00)
===…==
You mean Serbia has to capitulate? You know this would provide a 'how to' guide to all the rest then. Does Serbia then capitulate in Presevo as well? Where does it end?
If someone takes your property do you just say that you are a bigger man and let them keep it?
Get real.
(Peggy, 31 July 2012 23:19)
What is this guy saying? he is a complete joke, he sounds like Gaddafi!!!
40,000 may live in the north howerver 160,000 live in the rest of Kosovo! so his saying genocide (which actualy means "the deliberate and systematic destruction, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group") to the Serbs who live north and the rest are safe under Prishtinas government.
This is the last resort to gain something and "save face" the north of Mitrovica is Mitrovica and its part of Kosovo.
In 1905-1915 The majority of the population in Nis and Sanxhak was Albanian!!! we will not move our border every 100 years to suit the Serb extremists who are absolutely vial in everyway.
(Krasniq't, 30 July 2012 11:44)
No one expects other views and stances from the President. He is a hard line nationalist and the mediatic use of such terms as genocide, ethnic cleansing and war are simply a distraction from the big political and economic issues of Serbia. The President knows pretty well that Kosovo is gone for good. It would be wise of him if he looks towards EU and improved relations with US.
(chris sam, 30 July 2012 10:38)
According to Nikolić, "the only thing preventing such action was the presence of NATO troops".
Meh that is sort of misleading. In a way it is true, if NATO-KFOR left and nobody else came in then the Serbs would suffer terrible genocide, mass execution, destruction of property & churches and ethnic cleansing.
However NATO troops withdrawing from Kosovo* means Serbia has the right, obligation and military capacity retake its legal borders that is internationally recognized by 61% of UN member states the and thereby liberating the province from KLA occupation for the freedom of both Serbs & Albanians.
There is just no other way really. You wont even try to actually compromise(Northern Kosovo cannot be a compromise since Pristina could never control it) and rather opt to de-humanize the remaining Serbs in an effort to drive the rest of them out since you cannot outright murder them because of international presence.
For the sake of peace, most people will try to compromise. But rabid Albanian nationalists are so far away from what could be a permanent solution and completely delusional that a compromise appears impossible.
Under no circumstance should the people of Northern Kosovo, Gracanica, Strpce and the Monasteries throughout Kosovo i Metohija should ever have to answer to "Kosovo*" institutions. You want way too much and for that you will end up with 0 of it because this kind of peace is unsustainable.
(Ari Gold, 30 July 2012 10:57)
a man in denial. serbs fought to save a state? which one, narnia? oh i see, this is the widely believed myth that serbs wanted to hold yugoslavia together. p.s. read between the lines here, he is calling for partition.
(Nikolle, 30 July 2012 11:50)
Nikolic really did Serbia no favour with his rants. The next 4 years will be a lot tougher under him than the last 4 years under Tadic.
(T, 30 July 2012 12:35)
Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05)
The greatest threat in the balkans is albanian expansionism. Everyone knows it but are still too afraid to question it. A matter of time before these narco terrorists are brought to heel. The world will be a safer and better place.
(Jeff, 30 July 2012 15:29)
Everyone is Entitled to their own Genuinely Held Opinions regarding History; because, believe it or not. Euro-American Politicians and the Albanian Leaders have been known on many occasions to tell Lies upon Lies, upon Lies.
The first thing for everyone who claims to be Democratic, and aspires to Euro-American Values, or it is better to say Perceptions of Democratic Euro-American Values, or more correctly Myths of Democratic Euro-American Values, knows that two wrongs can never make a right.
There are many People who think that that the Leadrrs of Britain and America and the Leaders of the Albanians planne the evactuation of Albanians fro Kosovo to gain Victim Status to help them steal Kosovo.
The President of Serbia and all of the Serbian Parliamentaians were not responsible for any of the trouble, but the Alnanians and the leading Nations of NATO are guilty of this Conspiracy to steal Serbian Land.
The Albanians explelled and murdered many Non Albanians during World War 2 with the help of the Nazis, and after the Neo Nazi NATO War of 1999 to steal Kosovo, and the Albanian Hyopcrites Brazenly accuse others of what they were Firstly Guilt of, and Continue to be Guilty of, and they need to stop with the Lies and Injustice, and start telling the Truth!
(Yet Another J S, 30 July 2012 15:20)
An under what thread were Albanians living between 1991-1999? Did this guy forget the mass deportation of 900,000+ Albanians by the Serbs? What was that called? Also, the Serbs now may feel threatened, and there have been killings and abuses, but no where near what the Serbs did. If this is genocide, what do you call what the Serbs did Mr Nikolic?
(AC, 30 July 2012 13:55)
What is a genocide? Was it genocide when 1.000.000 armenians were killed by the turks? Was it genocide when 700.000 serbs were killed by croats at Jasenovac during WW2? According to the US and much of the Western world it's not. How then can the killing of 7000 muslims in Srebrenica be a genocide? Is it because they are muslims and worth more then non-muslims? Or is it because muslims, albanians and croats need to accuse serbs of bein genocidal to justify stealing Serbian land and expelling serbs? Jasenovac took place during WW2. Accept that as a genocide against the serbian people and then serbs will recognized their evils. However, that won't happen. All our dear neighbours want us to take blame while you genocide agains serbs is justified.
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 19:22)
There is really not much to say. Nikolic denies the proven genocide in Srebrenica while simlutaneously claiming that such a thing happens in Kosovo if Pristina neutralizes the parallel structures in the North. How laughable and the usual brabble of a Serbian politician who barely gets the attention he wants.
Furthermore, he's whining about "where is compromise when Kosovo insists in its independence", he can ask himself where is the compromise when Serbia insists that Kosovo is Serbian. There will never be a compromise in that matter because either Kosovo is independent or Serbian. There is no middle way and independence is the dedicated will of the people there. Ergo, independence has been chosen, because it is the people there who has to deal with consequence. Or is this just the foreplay for partition? Well, then we understand why Vojvodina got special attention recently from Belgrade, but I doubt that you can control that, if you opt that way, neither you will control South Serbia (Presovo) anymore. Just give it a try and you'll see..
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 12:19)
Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05)
--
Yeah right, so Serbs were expelling Serbs also? Everyone was escaping NATO bombs and the conflict, which was invited by ethnic Albanian terrorists. People flee all conflicts as we see in Syria and Libya. Your propaganda was justification for committing genocide against Serbians in KiM.
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 15:49)
Seems that you haven't followed the Balkans politics long time yet. Anyway, Nikolic joins others who want the true meaning of genocide watered down.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 10:58)
Did this guy forget the mass deportation of 900,000+ Albanians by the Serbs? What was that called? AC - I don't think that Albanians feeing KiM during a civil war, with fighting between Serb forces and the KLA, with NATO bombs falling all around, constitutes genocide, AC. As much as Albanians want to portray themselves as the poor victims in 1999 Kosovo, they are not. They fled, and then came back. How is that genocide, or even ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing is what the Albanians did to Serbs in 2004, when hundreds of thousands of Serbs fled KiM to save their lives - not to mention Albanian ethnic cleansing of Serbs for over 100 years, starting with their allegiance to the Ottomans, and then Nazi Germany. Why do Albanians only mention 1999, and never the evil they committed through out Balkan history?
(ecoman, 30 July 2012 15:35)
What is a genocide? Was it genocide when 1.000.000 armenians were killed by the turks? Was it genocide when 700.000 serbs were killed by croats at Jasenovac during WW2? According to the US and much of the Western world it's not. How then can the killing of 7000 muslims in Srebrenica be a genocide? Is it because they are muslims and worth more then non-muslims? Or is it because muslims, albanians and croats need to accuse serbs of bein genocidal to justify stealing Serbian land and expelling serbs? Jasenovac took place during WW2. Accept that as a genocide against the serbian people and then serbs will recognized their evils. However, that won't happen. All our dear neighbours want us to take blame while you genocide agains serbs is justified.
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 19:22)
Mixing apples and oranges=MikeC.
(Ardi Asllani, 30 July 2012 22:13)
One of the main causes of difficult situation of Serbs on teritory of Kosovo is the excessive fertility rate of Albanians in that region ! During 1960 to 1990 period, Albanian women have been known to give birth to close to 10 children , while other ethnic groups including Serbs had a much lower fertility. Thie resulted in percentage increase of Albanians from around a 33% in 1950-ties to the present of close to 90% !
This process of "aggression by propagation" needs to be taken seriously when the issue of "solution" to Kosovo is considered. Unfortunately, this issue is considered a "taboo" topic, and Albanians are continuing to exploit it in their desire to dominate not only Kosovo, but even other regions of "ex-Yugoslavia". D.Kustudic'
(Dus'an Kustudic', 30 July 2012 16:23)
The President knows pretty well that Kosovo is gone for good. It would be wise of him if he looks towards EU and improved relations with US. chris sam - Serbia does not want to rule over the Albanians in KiM, they are simply trying to preserve their nation's interests there. That includes the welfare of the Serb people in KiM, and Serbian territorial interests, geographic and economic. There will be no recognition of an independent KiM, but agreements between the Serbs and Albanians can, and will be reached - just not sure what decade.
(ecoman, 30 July 2012 13:55)
We know that the British Conservative Party does not have a Majority in Parliament and that if all of the other Political Parties want to, they can ask for a New Election.
Serbia should write this to all of the British Political Parties who have Seats in Parliament.
The issue is the handling of Kosovo, where Prime David Cameron and the British Conservatives will shown to be Nazis.
The British Labour Party will off the Liberal Democrats a Coalition, even if the British Labour Party has a Majority after the Election.
The smaller Political Parties in Britain will have smaller Electorates, so that they can increase their Representation in Parliament, with the slogan of a weaker English means a stronger Britain.
Germany would not mind, even though the British will not join the Euro, but they might not Vote to leave the European Union.
This is more than enough to write to each Member of the British Parliament, as they will know how to handle it, and they would like to increase their Representation in their Parliament.
(Yet Another J S, 30 July 2012 11:01)
Calling a genocide the situation of serbs in Kosova,who own 3-4 hauses in Belgrade and get pay triple as an average serb,is funny a least.
The same clawn refuse to call genocide or even the massacer(hi voted against the Sebrenica resolution in serbian parliament)killing of 8 thousand muslims in Bosnia,just because they were non serbs.
It looks the meaning of genocide, according to Nikolic, has changed upside down or he needs to visit a good psychiatrist.
(Mirel from Albania, 30 July 2012 17:13)
Seems that you haven't followed the Balkans politics long time yet. Anyway, Nikolic joins others who want the true meaning of genocide watered down.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 10:58)
--
Olli, good to see you back. I don't think Nikolic is watering down genocide as based on people's perceptions, the term has been watered down to fit in the Srebrencia massacre.
If, however, the terms is correct then you can be sure it applies to certain circumstances based on politics and not reality. As such, why don't we refer to operation storm as genocide? The constant ethnic cleansing of Serbs from KiM is genocide. Turkey's genocide in Armenia. In fact, the US was built on genocide by killing off practically most indigenous Indians. It even committed genocide in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
Could it be that the term does not apply to the US and its partners in crimes but anyone who dares to resist the NATO death machine will have this badge pinned to them?
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 13:23)
"There will never be a compromise in that matter because either Kosovo is independent or Serbian. There is no middle way and independence is the dedicated will of the people there. Ergo, independence has been chosen, because it is the people there who has to deal with consequence."
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 12:19)
Sure there's a simple middle way: Split Kosovo along the Ibar river. The international sponsors obviously expected that a multi-ethnic state of Kosovo could be created, but everybody should have noticed that it didn't work out, there's no democratic and multi-ethnic state of Kosovo, the project failed, there's only a mafia-state of Kosovo with corrupt and criminal politicians, a biased police, and ethnical hate and discrimination is present everywhere. Kosovo's provincial borders were drawn artificially anyway, including the north only to have a more euqal ethnical balance.
(Comm. Parrisson, 30 July 2012 13:53)
"Toma your country expelld over 1 million non serbs during the kosovo war and you know that. Your such a hypocrite mr president!
(Bridge, 30 July 2012 14:05) "
Firstly it was UCK who needed show - read Milosevic court transcripts where UCK "Chief of Staff" admits that.
Secondly - If muslim invaders come to Serbs`homeland and try to kill and expel all Serbs then kicking out of intruders is what every normal nation would do - therefore driving invading mulsim hords back to Albania is a VERY acceptable - i would like to see a single leftists pro-albo who would not do that if the case were about their homeland and their people.
Thirdly, at some point people are running out of bread and water, there will be too many of them, do you really think that the problem will be solved peacefully? First will die those recklessly overbreeding, backwarded and supremacy driven people who like to steal neighbours property...law of nature, or submissive and feeble group - so far it seems Serbs do have backbone as for instance Jews...
(to bridge, 30 July 2012 15:35)
How can a prime minister of a country lie and make propaganda to such an extent only the Serbians have face (or rather not) to make such claims. Mr Nikolic-u you were the Vuk of balkans for decades and now you're claiming to have mysteriously turned into a sheep. And denying a world-wide approved genocide in Srebrenica. Shame.
(onlyme, 30 July 2012 18:05)
Sure there's a simple middle way: Split Kosovo along the Ibar river.
(Comm. Parrisson)
If it would be easy somebody of note would have already promote it. Why Serbian politicians never brought it up during the Athisaari talks? Even now I don't hear much about it, just unclear statements of "demarcations". This only as a side not.
The truth is that you cannot split Kosovo along Ibar, because it does not make sense, except you are part of the Veselinovic clan who above all just try to protect their "business". Most, if not all,important Serbian sites and towns are South and those are fully intergrated into Kosovo's structures. So why and especially how should be the North partition be a compromise? You just open more questions, such as Presovo, Sandzak, Northern Vojvodina, etc. Furthermore, the complex A-Plan which includes a lot of advantage for the Serbian minority would be for that specific point useless, if one third of the Serbian minority would be gone. I don't see a single advantage in partition, only more problems. The best would can be achieved there, would be to give Serbia the consent for certain areas, such as schools and hospitals (in case the money really goes there and does not end up in clandestine pockets so that hospitals don't pay their electricity bill), something what has been granted to the German speaking people in South Tirol, but certainly not more.
Like I said before, there is no middle way. The A-Plan is the best what can be done.
(Commentator, 30 July 2012 15:15)
What an interesting character this guy is.
How can the leader of a country confuse 'genocide' with 'ethnic cleansing'?
He predicts genocide in Kosovo but he denies Srebrenica.
What do you think the powers that be think of this person...if they even know who he is?
But, wait..., there's more. He said that he never saw the break up of Yugoslavia 20 years ago.
But, wait, there's more. REally, there is more. He never in his wildest dreams would've guessed the seccession of Montenegro from Serbia.
A leader should be a visionary. This guy clearly isn't.
Where is Serbia going with this guy at it's helm?
Tadic was way better for Serbia than this guy. Then you add Dacic to the mix and you have a dangerous concoction. If we've learned anything from history we know that these things don't end well for Serbia.
(once a grobar always a grobar, 30 July 2012 19:24)
MikeC, you are still not answering my question, if Kosovo gov’t would want to commit ‘genocide’ as your president says, then why there are more serbs living in an area which is controlled by ethnic Albanians than in a serb-controlled area? If we wanted genocide, the southern part of Kosovo would have been serb-free. But that’s not the reality.
The same empty threats were provided by the Serbian gov’t officials right before the declaration of independence by Kosovo…and what happened?! Nothing…and nothing will happen when northern Kosovo is integrated into Kosovo.
(blue and gold, 31 July 2012 00:01)
President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide.
Nope.Like Tadic said:One side cannot get it all while the other side gets nothing.So it is time that you Serbs get some of that "all" that we Albanians got. We still haven't gotten even.
(Mark, 30 July 2012 21:29)
What Nikolic says to a British newspaper that he knows will be re-reported back in Serbia is one thing, what promises he is making to western officials behind closed doors is quite another.
I suppose tough talk is great for those that want to hear a certain message, despite the truth.
Still, its great that Nikolic is enjoying the olympics and extended holiday to London. Lets hope the damage to the Serbian taxpayer for him and his entourage doesn't create an even larger hole in the budget...
(bganon, 30 July 2012 11:59)
i find it both interesting and very sad that people on this board are qubbling over symantics. yes, the actions taken by current government in prishtina are genocidal. yes, the actions taken by 90's belgrade government were genocidal too. yet somehow too many people are trying to downplay everything that their team did, while screaming to he heavens above about what the other guy did.
eye for an eye will eventually blind everyone. at some point the bigger side has to call it over.
(interestingAintIt, 30 July 2012 22:00)
"What if the Serbs move out. Who will accept the results of such genocide? That is one of the definitions of genocide: when you expel 40,000 people, regardless of whether they are women, men, (civilians or) soldiers, and when you change the ethnic composition of the territory. That is genocide."
Can someone (his advisors) explain to this guy that’s not a definition of genocide? Genocide is an act of killing a certain group of people (i.e., Srebrenica)…not expelling them.
I completely disagree with his silly threats. If that were the case then why didn’t the serbs living in the southern part of Kosovo been expelled, or undergone genocide as he explains it?! More serbs live in the southern part of Kosovo/a then they do in the northern part.
(blue and gold, 30 July 2012 18:56)
Yeah right, so Serbs were expelling Serbs also? Everyone was escaping NATO bombs and the conflict, which was invited by ethnic Albanian terrorists. People flee all conflicts as we see in Syria and Libya. Your propaganda was justification for committing genocide against Serbians in KiM.
(Zoran, 30 July 2012 15:49)
Strange though that almost nobody fled Belgrade even though, according to the Serbs, it was heavily bombed by the evil NATO. I guess the Serbs there were much more heroic than their Serb and Albanian co-citizens in Kosovo :)
(icj1, 31 July 2012 03:12)
"If that were the case then why didn’t the serbs living in the southern part of Kosovo been expelled"
blue and gold
What in the world are you talking about? The albanians failed when they tried to expell all remaining serbs from Kosovo in the pogrom of 2004. Remember?Besides you seem to forget that only a fraction of all serbs expelled from Kosovo returned. Of course, to prevent them from returning the are acused to be Miloseviq people, thereby justifying killing them if they even try to return. One day albanains say Kosovo is 99 percent albanain now all of the sudden Kosovo is full of serbs. Well, which way is it?
(MikeC, 30 July 2012 21:12)
" But we expect the international community and our friends to help us to recover the economy in line with their duties and obligations. We don't want be treated like country cousins."
You mean Serbia has to capitulate? You know this would provide a 'how to' guide to all the rest then. Does Serbia then capitulate in Presevo as well? Where does it end?
If someone takes your property do you just say that you are a bigger man and let them keep it?
Get real.
(Peggy, 31 July 2012 23:19)
Few things here. Peggy what do you mean by : has to? You are speaking in the wrong tense. Check the military Kumanovo agreement.
Second who gave the Serbs this land? You certainly aren't natives to the balkans (its ok to assume Albanians came yesterday for the sake of argument). That means that you took this land from someone else. You took someone else's property. So if in principle you are against taking someone else's property then one certainly cannot be ok with Serbia taking Kosova away from the previous owners (whoever that was). You cant be against the principle of taking someone else's land when Serbia is at a disadvantage, and be for the principle of taking someone else's property away when Serbia is at an advantage. If that's a case you're just a bitter Serb, not someone who cares about these supposedly "untouchable" principles. A quick FYI just about every country in the world was formed and changed that way. Kosova and Serbia are not the first and will certainly not be the last. Presheva was taken away from Kosova by the way. Read a little.
(j, 1 August 2012 02:13)
I wanted previously to say that it's a shame if, and as it so often happens, the term genocide is used as a political term, not as a legal term. Anyone interested can read here what has been agreed as for a definition of genocide:
So if Nikolic knows that genocide is on-going in Kosovo it's his duty to make moves about it. He should for example take it to European Council and other international bodies and demand a thorough and immediate investigation on it. That is if he truly believes his own claims. Otherwise all his talk is boring and void bla bla for tired ears.
To tell that there's an on-going genocide in Kosovo is a HEAVY accusation. But in the mouth of Nikolic it's just a bubble gum.
Sorry, Zoran, that the planned meeting in Belgrade this June failed from my side. Certain family issues took most of my limited time in the city. I managed to escape once for a beer in Znak pitanja but that was all. If you happen to travel to Montenegro let me know. I'm living close to Petrovac na more.
(Olli, 30 July 2012 16:01)
at some point the bigger side has to call it over.
(interestingAintIt, 30 July 2012 22:00)
===…==
You mean Serbia has to capitulate? You know this would provide a 'how to' guide to all the rest then. Does Serbia then capitulate in Presevo as well? Where does it end?
If someone takes your property do you just say that you are a bigger man and let them keep it?
Get real.
(Peggy, 31 July 2012 23:19)
Second who gave the Serbs this land?
===…==
Who gave the white Americans their land? Go and preach to them. You see, Serbs have been on their land a lot longer than the white Americans or white Australians.
Now how far back do you want to go? Where is YOUR PROOF that Albanians had Kosovo ever? Where is your proof that Serbs took anything away from you and you were indeed on that land? By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
Again, get real.
(Peggy, 1 August 2012 12:26)
MikeC, 30 July 2012 21:12)
For a people that is "offended" and in total denial that people call the thousands of innocents slaughtered by them as genocide, you sure are quick to refer to it anytime someone looks at you wrong.
Serbs destroy a village that is not genocide, no way no how. An Albanian woman throw a rock at a bus load of Serbs, thats genocide.
(oxymoron, 31 July 2012 21:57)
Now how far back do you want to go? Where is YOUR PROOF that Albanians had Kosovo ever? Where is your proof that Serbs took anything away from you and you were indeed on that land? By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
Again, get real.
(Peggy, 1 August 2012 12:26)
Well, you either do it for everybody or you do it for nobody. If we go back to 500 AD, there is no reason why not to go back to 500 BC, 7834 BC, 15756990 BC or 5000000000 BC when Earth was created. History doesn't start when Serbs arrived in Kosovo, unless, of course, Serbs inhabitated Kosovo since the year 5000000000 BC.
P.S. I don't think that it was Albanians who were in Kosovo before Serbs; that is BS.
(icj1, 2 August 2012 03:55)
"President: Serbs in Kosovo under threat of genocide"
That's not possible. The President should pay more attention to the preaching of sj in these forums that NO ONE dares to lift a finger against the Serbs – NO ONE dares.
(icj1, 2 August 2012 04:22)
By your logic we should redraw borders throughout the whole world now to accommodate everyone who was anywhere different to where they are now.
-- Peggy that's the whole point. Borders change continuously. Take a look at the last 100 years. It sucks for you as a Serb but borders changing is the natural not out of ordinary. They will change again. This is not the beginning or the end. Yes borders are changed to accommodate people all the time. That is reality. Borders remaining rigid for eternity is utopic, not what really happens in the world.
(J, 1 August 2012 20:29)