PËRCAKTIMI POLITIK, SOCIAL, EKONOMIK NE KOSOVE DO TE THOTË PËRJASHTIM

12/09/2012

Me përfundimin e mbikëqyrjes së pavarësisë së Kosovës disa zëra thonë se kemi shume pune për te bere rreth sovranitetit te territorit te Kosovës, disa thonë me shume te drejta pakicave, sidomos serbe por vështirësitë  kryesore te qytetareve te Kosovës do te jene nga jo funksionaliteti i demokracisë ne vend, ne te gjitha shtyllat e funksionimit te shtetit.  

Përderisa e dimë shume mire se shoqëria ne Kosove është e polarizuar dhe përcaktimi politik i qytetarit shkakton përjashtim te menjëhershëm, kjo do ja imponoje qytetarit te mos jete i zëshëm, aktiv dhe i sinqerte ne mendime.  Kur them te polarizuar nuk mendoj vetëm ne bindje apo besim te caktuar por është krijuar shtrese e madhe e te varfërve dhe te pasurve ne shoqëri, me klase te nivelit te mesëm shume te vogël. Polarizimi drejtpërsëdrejti shkakton shoqëri te copëtuar ne sferën politike, sociale dhe ekonomike.  Meqenëse përcaktimi i çfarëdo lloji pason me përjashtim, atëherë liria e te shprehurit dhe te vepruarit e qytetarit ne Kosove do te jete e kufizuar apo nuk do te ekzistoje fare.

Sundimi i ligjit është thelbësore në çdo shoqëri ku të drejtat e njeriut duhet të mbrohen. Vepron si një mbrojtje për të drejtat e njeriut së pari duke u garantuar atyre ligjërisht dhe së dyti, duke siguruar një mjet për korrigjim kur vëren shkelje të ndodhë. Dënimet jepen si një parandalues kundër abuzimit të mëtejshme. Por ne Kosove nuk veprohet kështu. Ne Kosove dënohesh e përjashtohesh, kur nuk je ne anën e pushtetit e shume rralle dënohesh për shkelje te ligjit.  Me sistem gjyqësor selektiv (përzgjedhës) e jo te pavarur, qytetaret e Kosovës do ta kenë shume te vështirë te përballen me padrejtësitë  qe i bëhen nga pushteti qendror dhe ai lokal.

Me termin "përkatësi politike"  ne shoqëritë demokratike nënkuptohet anëtarë i ndonjë bashkësie politike, si identitet politik apo praktike politike. Ne Kosove ndodhe komplet e kundërta me përkatësi politike apo shoqërore do te thotë, nuk je si Unë, mendon ndryshe andaj te përjashtojë nga sistemi i arsimit; te përjashtojë nga e drejta për tu punësuar;  te përjashtojë nga e drejta për ndonjë mundësi tenderi etj. Margjinalizimi i qytetareve qe mendojnë ndryshe rezulton me humbje te sovranitetit në vetvete, humbje e  praktikave sovrane dhe frika nga pushteti.   

Propozimi Gjithëpërfshirës për Zgjidhjen e Statusit të Kosovës nuk do te jete më si fuqia juridike e veçantë dhe më e lartë, por Kushtetuta e Republikës së Kosovës tani përbën bazën e vetme të kornizës juridike të vendit e përderisa nuk kemi gjyqësor te pavarur dhe te drejte, nuk e di a duhet ti gëzohemi përfundimit te mbikëqyrjes së pavarësisë së Kosovës apo duhet t’i ftojmë organizata ndërkombëtare qe merren ekskluzivisht me te drejtat dhe liritë e njeriut.  

Ne Kosove ka ardhur koha dhe është momenti i fundit qe qeveritaret ta kuptojnë ne thelb konceptin e demokracisë se ata janë dhe do te jene te shërbim te qytetarit e jo e kundërta. Se përcaktimi i çfarëdo lloji, ne çfarëdo besimi apo bindje, është e drejte universale qe ne lindim me te dhe nuk guxon te na dënojë apo përjashtojë askush. Qeveritareve te Kosovës ju rekomandoj qeverisje te mirëfilltë me fokus ne përmirësimin e mirëqenies te secilit qytetare; e neve qytetareve na mbetet te mos frikohemi dhe te veprojmë ne baze te asaj qe ne besojmë se është vlere e mirëfilltë barazi, drejtësi për te gjithë ... kjo duhet te mbizotëroje ne Kosove.

Pse të qenurit punëtorë nuk është karakeristikë e jona?

09/12/2015

Njëri prej artikujve të shkruar rishtas për “Ne” më nxiti të shkruaj. Ai shkrim ishte njëri prej dhjetra të tillëve ku të tjerët që shkruajnë për ne e bëjnë pothuasje të njejtin konstatim; shumë të rinjë; të veshur bukur, me jetë të natës të pasur etj.

Fatkeqësisht nuk kam hasur në ndonjë konstatim që na është dhënë epiteti i njerëzve që e duam punën, dhe më besoni që këto shkrime që i dedikohen vendit dhe popullit tonë, i lexoj gjithmonë. Është e rëndësishme se si na shohin të tjerët edhe në aspektin profesional, por më duket që nëse artikulli ka për qëllim të jep ngjyrim pozitiv atëherë autori thjeshtë vendos të mos flas për raportin tonë me punën.

Pse ne nuk e duam punën? Ne shqiptarët e Kosovës shquhemi si punëtorë të zellshëm, besnik dhe të saktë kur jemi jashtë shtetit, por në Kosovë diçka e çuditshme ndodh me ne. Këtu na kaplon kjo përtaci e pashpjegueshme apo ndryshe një zgjuarësi rrënuese.
Duke jetuar dhe kontribuar në Kosovë i kam disa përgjigje për raportin Ne, Puna, Kosova.

• E para dhe më e dhimshmja është se nuk vleresohet profesionalizmi i individit, shoqëria nuk sillet butë dhe me bujari me profesionistët në Kosovë. “Shoqëria” në këtë rast i referohem punëdhënësve (qeveria, sektori privat). Kemi profesionist që nuk kemi arritur ti angazhojmë në mënyrë që ta zhvillojmë këtë vend të vogël me shumë pak mundësi. Por prej nivelit të ultë të vetëdijës të “shoqërisë” profesionistët na ikin dhe kontribuojnë në vende të huaja ku besoj ato shoqëri i trajtojnë me dinjitet. Kur ke ndjenjën e përkatësisë të fortë dhe ndihesh i realizuar profesionalisht jep maksimumin dhe suksesi është i pashmangshëm.
• E dyta mendoj që është mungesa e strukturës profesionale ekzistuese në “shoqëri”. Që në slang në Kosovë është “s’ki me kon punon”. Në rastin më ideal që profesionistët kanë mësyrë ndonjë përmirësimi të ndonjë entiteti, në vazhdimësi hasin me sabotim të procesit nga frika që besueshmëria po i rritet kolegut në vend se të kontribuojë edhe vet që entiteti të fillojë zhvillimin për të dhe për një të mirë të përbashkët. Këtu prapë profesionisti dëshpërohet dhe në mundësinë e parë largohet ku do të mund t’i shpërblehet investimi seriozisht.
• Në botën normale profesionsti është individ me integritet të lartë personal dhe profesional por në vendin tonë profesionisti ballafaqohet me mbikqyrës më pak të arsimuar dhe më me pak përvojë profesionale se ai/ajo. Por meqenëse politika vendos për pozitat me ndikim në vendet kyçe atëherë këtu kemi dështuar dhe profesionisti në kuptim të vërtetë nuk mund të sjellë rezultate kur drejtuesi nuk është i interesuar t’ia marr për bazë këshillat profesionale.

Ideja pse ne shkëlqejmë kudo jashtë vendit është se instalohet ndjenja e punës ekipore dhe merret seriozisht potenciali profesional; profesionisti motivohet në mënyrë që kontributi të jetë maksimal. Poashtu këtu ballafaqohemi me interes reciprok, por përderisa të dyja palët janë të kënaqura dhe puna bëhet për një të mirë të përbashkët kjo është komplet e arsyeshme.

Pra në Kosovë nuk është që jemi komplet jopunëtorë por jemi të drejtuar nga individ jo adekuat, aspak profesionistë, të zgjuar për të rrënuar, të cilët nuk kanë ide mbi udhëheqjen, menaxhimin dhe të gjitha proceset që kanë të bëjnë me zhvillim. Nuk është e thënë të jeni me doemos në pushtet, do të ishte më mirë që të leni gjurmë dhe trashëgimi dhe të mbaheni mend për diçka dobiprurëse.
Në këtë vend është i domosdoshëm revolucion i mendjës, dezinfektimi i mendjës në aspektin e vlerave. Jo çdo gjë që është e papranueshme duhet të pranohet me idenë që tash gjërat kanë ndryshuar. Gjërat nuk ndryshojne vetvetiu, gjërat i ndryshojnë njerëzit.

Për ta përmbyllur, po kthehem aty ku fillova, me të huajt vendosim të mos flasim për punë meqenëse nuk ke shumë çfarë t’iu tregosh për shkak të pamundësisë dhe në fund të huajt që shkruajnë për ne nuk e dijnë se sa e vështirë është të jesh i realizuar profesionalisht në Kosovë kështu që “Ne” vashdojmë të pijmë me ta raki t’shpisë dhe të vishemi bukur që ti impresonojmë, mjerisht në mënyrë shumë sipërfaqësore.

Discourse Analysis

This study will present the approach of the Daily Express in constructing and representing immigrants in United Kingdom, precisely in England. The article analyzed, is titled “Migrants Send Our Crime Rate Soaring” and was published on Daily Express on Monday, January 28th, 2008. Daily Express is a conservative, middle-market British tabloid newspaper where one of the favourite topics is anti-immigration. The study applied discourse analysis through lexical choices, indexical meaning, the representation of all sources in the article and using relevant literature supporting the argument presented. The study offers approaches on constructing ‘others’ as well as signals the readers of Daily Express to apply critical thinking and consider reservations in the articles published regarding this matter.

This paper searches the approach in which migrants are constructed in the Daily Express as printed press in UK. The conventional British tabloid in this article does not present the migrants at all it only relies on elite sources or primary definer. Hall explains the “Primary Definers” as authority figures in powerful and high status positions. They are considered to have greater expertise and to have "access to more accurate or more specialized information on particular topics than the majority of the population."[1] By using primary definers as sources this immediately limits the opportunity for readers to further research on this respective topic since the sources are authorities and ‘reliable’.

Arguments in the article are drawn on presuppositions that the audience are required to fill in themselves in order for the argument to seem plausible.[2] The cover page (see picture) it creates fear amongst readers about crime rate going higher, whereas article provides ‘facts’ on how UK cannot deal with the influx of immigrants. The article with 848 words mentioned the word crime only five times.

This brings the ‘difference’ as compelling theme. Representation is a complex business and especially when dealing with ‘difference’, it engages feelings, attitudes and emotions and it mobilizes fears and anxieties in the viewer.[3]

A sentence below extracted from the article:

“The survey of 100 local councils found that in some areas three-quarters of children are now born to foreign-born mothers while three in four pupils in some education authorities do not speak English as a first language.” clearly reflects the representation of others, different from us, applying the discourse of fear and panic from the unknown.

In the article it is not reported even one case of violent crime in a concrete manner. The substance of the article does not correspond to the title which took the space of the whole cover page. The article is more on the large influx of the migrants and not on crime or violent cases. In the main headline uses the lexical item ‘crime’. It has been used purposely to impose certain ideological belief and value to underpin this particular story.[4]

With an index, the relation between the signifier and the signified is casual and linear: the sign is directly the effect of the object.[5] As for instance smoke is an index of fire as in the picture mask is directly linked with crime in one of the possible interpretations.


However, images are notoriously open to more than one interpretation.[6] The picture shown in the article might be observed in many different ways such as: an undercover police officer; an ill ordinary citizen who is leaving his belongings in his car; a citizen who is cold and so on. Resonant image in the Daily Express is used to fix the meaning of immigrants which might have been widely reported or commented about.[7]

Since journalism exists to enable citizens to better understanding their lives and their position(s) in the world. However, this is not always implemented in reality. In few cases the power utilizes media to promote their agenda. The circulation and promotion of the views of the powerful is better described as propaganda, and journalism is often shaped by propagandists’ agenda.[8]

In the article of Daily Express immigrants as a source are absent. The community associations composed by immigrants are absent, too. UK citizens as the ‘threatened’ mass are not included in the article either any victim of crime is reported in this article. The article should have had the title reflecting the failures of the government in protecting borders rather than having migrants as incentives to a higher crime.

Somehow article left behind the efforts of the government to improve the current situation. The article did not mentioned the strategies on securing borders and the strategy in ensuring and enforcing compliance with UK’s immigration laws[9], in order to provide the full picture regarding this matter to Daily Express’ readers.

The article in this conservative newspaper raises other questions such as are UK’s citizens prepared in managing EU enlargement. The UK has always been a strong supporter of enlargement and has played a leading role in moving the process forward which in return delivers peace, prosperity and stability across the continent, entrenching the EU values to an ever-widening Union. EU enlargement should help increase the prosperity of new member states in Eastern Europe, opening new opportunities for UK businesses.[10]

The article raises issues such as difference or representation of others. Press in democratic country it is essential to promote and demonstrate an important role on cultural diversity, co-habitation, and common values instead of promoting division, fear, hatred and inflexibility towards foreigners. Power in representation has to be understood, not only in terms of economic exploitation and physical coercion, but also in broader cultural or symbolic terms, including the power to represent someone or something in a certain way within a certain regime of representation.[11]

The article does provide figures of how many immigrants enter UK, however does not present the number of immigrants that leave UK, or are deported by the competent institutions. This sentence of the article “The scale of the increase by 2031 is the equivalent of the population of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all moving to England” does not have logical strength, since for a reader is not explained how many leave, since not all immigrants remain in UK. The article manipulates with the discourse of fear and dangerousness around the issue of by whom England will be populated with.

In any society not totalitarian, then, certain cultural forms predominate over others; the form of this cultural leadership is what Gramsci has identified as hegemony.[12] Hegemony can be described as the process in which a ruling class persuades all other classes to accept its rule and their subordination. A hegemonic ruling class is one that gains support for itself from other classes.[13]

___________________________________________________________________ [1] Nunn, Kenneth B. The Trial as Text: Allegory, Myth and Symbol in the Adversarial Criminal Process - a Critique of the Role of the Public Defender and a Proposal for Reform. American Criminal Law Review.32. (1995): Page Number: 743-822.
[2] Richardson, John E. Analysing Newspapers: An Approach from Critical Discourse Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan. January 9, 2007.
[3] Hall, Stuart. Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices (Culture, Media and Identities Series).Sage Publications & Open University; 1 edition. April 1, 1997. Page 226
[4] Deacon, David. Pickering, Michael. Golding, Peter. and Murdock, Graham. Researching Communications, Second Edition: A Practical Guide to Methods in Media and Cultural Analysis. Chapter 8: Unpacking News. Page 178. 2007.
[5] Deacon, David. Pickering, Michael. Golding, Peter. and Murdock, Graham. Chapter 9: Viewing the Image. Page 187. 2007.
[6] Id., Page 197.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Id., Page 6.
[9]The Border and Immigration Agency. 5 February 2008. .
[10] Britain in the EU. 5 February 2008. .
[11] Hall, Stuart. Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices (Culture, Media and Identities Series).Sage Publications & Open University; 1 edition. April 1, 1997. Page 259
[12] Hall, Stuart. Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices (Culture, Media and Identities Series).Sage Publications & Open University; 1 edition. April 1, 1997. Page 260
[13] Richardson, John E. Analysing Newspapers: An Approach from Critical Discourse Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan. January 9, 2007. Page 35

Stateless No More – Kosova is Independent

As of Sunday 17th February 2008 I am not stateless anymore I have a state called The Republic of Kosova. I am 33 years old and the independence to me means all my life, since I was in the kindergarten I knew that I wasn’t wanted in the country at that time called Yugoslavia. Than shortly I wasn’t allowed to education in my own language, my very well educated parents were expelled from their jobs just because they were Albanians.

Due to hard living condition and no future whatsoever I left for UK, which made me feel a normal human being which I didn’t had that feeling in my own country. While living in UK I never felt unwanted and I thank UK government and citizens for accepting me in the best possible way. UK offered me respect and the opportunity for me to be the only financial source for my family back home. UK made it possible for me to keep my familiy's moral alive and their physical existence.

And then the war started in Kosovo with more than 10, 000 dead and more than 1 million expelled from their homes. This was the most difficult time of my life, not knowing where my parents, relatives and friends are, and not having a country of origin.

However, due to the international community intervention in bombing Serbia we all came back in Kosova after the 1999 war, and started from the scratch, building houses, building lives, healing wounds and building our country.

After the entire struggle in my life I am glad I was part of this process and I will continue to contribute for my country. Not many people in the world have or had the opportunity to be part of the creation of their statehood. Suffering was worthwhile and now it is up to us what country we want to be. From now on we have to work even harder and create a state that every single citizen will feel wanted, important, we need to bring back the sense of belonging to everyone. As an Albanian is my duty to be responsible for all non-Albanians that live in Kosova.


We in Kosova celebrated for three days after the declaration of independence, and I'm proud that we celebrated with dignity and lots of love for freedom. This demonstrated once more that we wanted so badly to be free.

I will conclude with the saying "Don't treat others the way you don't want to be treated."

Taste the Cosines of Renesansa

In a very right center of Prishtina opposite Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) tall building close to a Fidanpharm pharmacy there is a very unnoticeable tight alley. In the end of this alley you will meet a house with beautifully wooden entrance door, which is not a residential house but a traditional restaurant called “Renesansa”. These large doors usually are not open, so in order to get in you should knock as you do in any inhabited home you want to visit. As you walk in this restaurant, first, you need to adjust your sight, because to get there is pretty dark at night, and when you enter the restaurant is a very low lighting, too.
The owner Ilir Zhubi, a Gjakova man who had moved to Prishtina 37 years ago. He has been in catering business for 20 years. Earlier he had owned one of few cafés in Prishtina. He joined gastronomy in 1993, by opening Renesansa restaurant first in Gjakova. Then he moved this activity in Prishtina in 1997. He started with the restaurant named it Tifani and since 2001 he decided to name this restaurant Renesansa. Basically now he has three, one in Gjakova and two in Prishtina.
“I named it Renesansa (as in Renaissance) because traditional food should be served in restaurants too, not just in our homes” he says. “Through this I try to revive the quality of our traditional food, which I find very delicious”.

Walking in one is greeted by a hostess and in what might be an uncommon experience in Kosovo she would immediately ask you: “do you know the menu?” In asking so she checks whether one is there for the first time or is already familiar with the restaurant’s policies. And since restaurant has no menu, they change their specialties on daily basis. Immediately after sitting a home made raki in a mini jug and still water is brought to you, without ordering it. After that, the waitress brings red house wine produced in the region of Gjakova. And she starts delivering starters which consist of: three types of dips, cheese, pickled beetroot, deep fried aubergine (eggplants) with a touch of parsley, green olives, beans and a basket of brown integral bread.
The restaurant has over 40 seats and approximately 30 guests dine as light jazz music plays in the background but amazingly so it all seems so quiet. In what is probably one of great things about it - somehow this place calms down people after they have had a long busy day in this dynamic lifestyle.

Renesansa is made of wood and stone. The floor, the walls, the two bars are made by the combination of stone quadrates. The ceilings are all wooden and make you feel like as being on a mountain cottages. Also the frames of the windows are thick wooden pieces, and they look like roof girders similar to some ancient mansions or castles in United Kingdom or France. Also tables and chairs are pure wood, made by a local woodcrafter. It has a black shiny piano where sometimes even guests can play and sing. It has two bars, one is bigger than the other.? The big one is for food only, so you can see your dish being cooked, you can also see and smell the ember. The small bar is for drinks only. In general the atmosphere is elegant and warm.

After you have some wine and some food, comes the salad which is usually mixed but on top of the salad they also serve melon, which is not very common for Kosovo. After the waitress explained the four choices on main courses she took the order of our selection and decision on our main dishes. I go for a steak and my friend’s bet is on the baked chicken.

Each morning and early afternoon Ilir is out in the green markets after organic food, even though, he says that sometimes it is difficult to find them fresh. “I have to research the market thoroughly, until I find quality vegetables,” he says. He also pays a lot of attention not only to fresh but also hygienic food, and that’s what makes the work even harder, “but accomplishable” as he would note.

Renesansa team is constituted by women, only waitresses no waiters. Ilir says ladies are just better, much more gentle, subtle, and fine towards guests.

The steak is just perfectly cooked and as a garnish had grilled courgettes (zucchini) in a sauce of fresh mushrooms….all are very tasty.

Presentation of the food in this restaurant does not differ from an Albanian mahogany, and in case you do not have an Albanian friend you should definitely visit the Renesansa restaurant, and you’ll definitely savor the Albanian cuisine.

High quality of food, wine, and home made raki, fast and pleasant service makes this place really unique. Service is professional and in the level of classy restaurants elsewhere in the region. Waitresses are exemplary and polite, friendly enough and not annoying.

One feature that makes the place unique is that they set the standard fixed price per person in the amount of 15 euros —all included. Ilir also mentioned that his restaurant is mostly visited by middle class citizens and he prefers to keep this clientele because he want to offer to his guests quality in all aspects, comfort, content with the food and service. “This way, they always come back,” he says.

It is worth mentioning that this restaurant has been recently visited by famous actress Rebecca Romijn-Stamos from the movie Femme Fatale and Pjer Žalica a Bosnian internationally known film director.

Renesansa has done a marvelous job of offering authentic Albanian cooking to the heart of Kosovo capital Prishtina. Recommended highly!!!

Independent Kosovo Only Solution

In 1999 after Kosovo war, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 placed Kosovo under transitional UN administration pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. This Resolution entrusted the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) with sweeping powers to govern Kosovo, but also directed UNMIK to establish interim institutions of self-governance. Resolution 1244 permits Serbia no role in governing Kosovo and since 1999 Serbian laws and institutions have not been valid in Kosovo. Security is provided by the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR).

As whether Kosovo independence could set risky precedent it can not be taken as convincing. Russian political position on this issue, that Kosovo can be as pattern to frozen conflicts in Former Soviet Union, can be easily distinguished which makes Kosovo issue a unique case.
Under its 1999 resolution (UNSC Resolution 1244), which placed Kosovo under U.N. administration and envisioned a political process to determine Kosovo's final status, the Security Council has the responsibility to determine a settlement.

Kosovo Albanian political, economical and social exclusion was established even in Tito's Yugoslavia. The situation of Albanians extremely worsens during Milosevic's regime. Once an autonomous federal unit similar to the other republics, it was stripped of its autonomy in 1989. Ethnic Albanians were denied basic political and cultural rights, reduced to non-citizens.
Serbia's ethnic cleansing and genocide towards Kosovo Albanians while violating all UN conventions on Human Rights takes away any possibility for Serbia to claim back Kosovo.
There is no case where NATO was forced to intervene to stop a massive process of ethnic cleansing.

Kosovo with 90% Albanians who wishes the independence cannot be considered as dangerous precedent but freedom for Kosovo. This is the will of the majority of population any other solution can be seen as against the will of Kosovo Albanians and may cause unrest.

The ‘frozen conflicts’ worldwide are in different stages, especially cases of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia ‘fears’ from. The United Nations, European Union, OSCE, Council of the European Union, NATO and most of the countries around the world recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as integral parts of the Georgian state and its constitution, according to the principles of the international law. However the Georgian government offered Abkhazia and South Ossetia high degree of autonomy and possible federal structure within borders and jurisdiction of Georgia.

Another ‘frozen conflict’ which Russia is bringing as a threat is also Transdnistria which internationally is recognized as a legal part of the Republic of Moldova.

In comparison to the ‘frozen conflicts’ mentioned above Kosovo since after 1999 war has been treated as an international concern. Kosovo is under international protectorate which automatically makes Kosovo recognized as political entity from international bodies and worldwide countries. Kosovo during Federal Yugoslav Republic or Milosevic’s regime was never offered any degree of autonomy or possibility to federal structure within the state.
In the other hand Serbia is not interested in resolving a conflict or accepting diversity. This has been demonstrated by the exclusion of the Albanian voters from the electoral list for the referendum on the constitution of Serbia.

And to conclude as Bruno Coppieters Associate Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels) said: “The question of the status of Kosovo is a direct result of NATO’s unilateral military intervention in 1999 without the approval of the UN Security Council. This kind of action in support of a secessionist entity is not so unusual historically. There have been other notable cases of attempts to alter states by outside and unilateral military intervention. What is unique about the Kosovo case is that Western states appear to be successfully asserting their power to secure secession”.

Gërmia Park

In the hills just east of Prishtina, rests a large park called Gërmia. The park has a popular open-air swimming pool that's the size of a lake, and endless forests to ramble through - though you should stick to the paths which are mine-free. Skiing is possible here in winter too.

Prishtina lacks historic charm of Prizren or the imposing mountain backdrop of Peja, therefore makes the Gërmia Park as the only outpost of green
for Prishtina citizens.



The lake-sized swimming pool is a hot spot for
families and young people, but year-round the park itself offers grassy spaces to relax or kick the ball around, and a network of mine-cleared trails through the dense woods perfect for dog-walking or drunken hide-and-seek tournaments. A couple of restaurants at the top of the park have good food and nice views.

Kosovo’s Albanian League museum is a historic treasure

Prizren citizens are proud of the ethnically diverse cultural history of their city.

Prizren is known to a majority of Kosovars as the most beautiful city in Kosovo. The Albanian League of Prizren museum is one of the main stops for visitors who are interested in history.

“I bring all my guests to visit the Prizren museum. It is enriching for me to continuously promote the cultural values of Prizren to others,” said Edi Duranbar, an employee for a local bank.

“Living in a city with so many historical sites makes me proud,” says Jeton Jagxhiu, a graphic designer in Prizren. The Prizren museum is one of these values which reflect the continuation of our tradition.”

The Prizren Museum has become a first stop for many Kosovars and internationals currently living and working in Kosovo. The museum has three sections: One is devoted to history. Another to ethnology and the third is gallery of art. Museum Manager Parim Kosova says they had 16.000 visitors last year.

“The Vetevendosja Movement (Self-Governance) was not the first to come up with the idea of Kosovo being self-governing state,” says Kosova. “In July 1878, Albanian leaders gathered in Prizren and formed the Prizren League, an organization that would promote the idea of ethnic Albanians having their own territory.”

At the time, the General Assembly of the Albanian League of Prizren was demanding recognition of an Albanian nation as an entity.

Prizren citizens are proud of the ethnically diverse cultural history of their city, but the current situation worries Jagxhiu. “Prizren is a cosmopolitan city, but what fears me is that culture and history are used for political gains by Albanian nationalists.”

Another concern is inadequate funding and planning to maintain historic Kosovo sites like the Prizren museum. During the 1999 war, the Prizren museum was burned down by Serbian troops.

Kosova said damage caused to the museum was estimated at 270, 000 Euros.
Most of the museum’s historic artifacts, things such as manuscripts, antique furniture, sculptures and pottery were also destroyed and confiscated. Luckily, many of the artifacts were later recovered.

Kosova hopes that the Prizren Museum to be treated as an independent body and not be under the Ministry of Culture. Kosova believes this will ultimately provide the museum with the opportunity to raise fund for itself.

End of First Semenster @ KIJAC

Since 8th January 2007 till now we have been lectured about Communication Theory by Dr Karin Wahl-Jorgensen. The content of this course is about major contemporary theories of media and society in a global context. Topics discussed so far are introduction to mass communication; ideals of mass communication and the notion of the public sphere; models of mass communication; transformations of mass communication and the globalization of media; introduction to concept of representation and representation and journalistic objectivity. Assignments are given every day. We have to read about tomorrow’s topic and up to now we had to do two reading assignments each 250-400 words. Basically we did the writing part by selecting any two given readings by the professor and we had to list the main points of the argument; to make clear the literature that the writing was referred to; give conclusion and also provide the evaluation of the reading.

The course was pleasant and we’ve learned a lot, however still faced difficulties. Subject is very interesting but it takes a lot of effort, a lot of reading, analyzing, writing and critical thinking is required. My main difficulty in writing is analytical part. I read and it seems I understand pretty well but when it comes to put it in writing I cannot summarize it in a short way.

We are very close towards the end of the 1st semester and I can conclude that I have absorbed more than expected. In English course most useful part was learning outlining and organizing, I did write using outlining at my work but I never new how easier the writing could be if you organize your thoughts. Vocabulary is pretty helpful since I am learning new words but I am lacking in using those new words. Reading from Bryson book is interesting but the way the book is written I found it a bit difficult to understand. Free-writing is my favorite part, I discovered that I enjoy writing and I do them with pleasure. Editing and re-writing is also a component which developed my skills in finding mistakes and re-writing them. As per grammar practice I could only recall paraphrasing, which I’ve applied in the communication theory course. I think I need more help on academic writing such as:
-planning and organizing an essay writing;
-reading and researching especially critical reading and research methods;
-using sources since I know to paraphrase but not to summarize; and
-I think I need more grammar and punctuation.

This is how I feel after the first semester at Kosovo Institution for Journalism and Communication.