In honor of the great doctor and one of the Serbian heroes of modern times, Dr. Miodrag Lazic, who passed away yesterday after losing the battle with the coronavirus, I will post here a link where all those who have not had the opportunity before, now can read his testimony about his service, impressions and struggle for saving lives in the Serb Republic of Krajina, in Posavina during the breakthrough Operation Corridor 92 – Corridor of life, and in East Sarajevo (former Serb Sarajevo) at the Žica Hospital in Blažuj. Eternal glory to dr Lazic and thanks for everything.
Here you can download PDF English and Serbian version.
„He who fights can lose, but he who fights not has already lost“ – B. Brecht
I hate it most when someone says “let it go, it’s not worth the struggle, it´s lost anyway”. This is most often when I begin story about need of struggle for Kosovo and Metohija through diplomatic means and all other legitimate resources. Everyone willing, can achieve a lot, but has to have a vision, to see a certain path and to know how to do it. No matter how Kosovo might seem lost today, sold or rife with phenomenon of treason, I consider and believe one should always fight with honesty and honor because only lost things are those we renounce ourselves. The story about Kosovo and Metohija in this sense can be seen as personification of life, because in life, everything is in the struggle, dedication, tenacity and with a dose of wisdom and bravery, not to say fury, but still nothing is impossible.
I was inspired to write this text by the act of the embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in Pristina. Few days ago, official page of this embassy published that in the process for visa issuance, embassy of Germany will not accept those passports issued by “Coordination Authority” of the Republic of Serbia, although, up to now individual with that type of Serbian passport was able to request visa from embassies in Pristina. Majority of EU member states with embassies in Pristina follow this practice. For those who don’t know, all citizens living in Kosovo and Metohija can receive passports of Serbia, but in which states “Coordination Authority” for issuing institution, and which differ from passports in the rest of Serbia because with these you still need visa to travel into EU countries. Despite citizens of Serbia can travel the Schengen without visas since 2009, there is regulation from the Serbian Government dating from the September of the same year, as well as EU Council regulation to prevents citizens from Kosovo and Metohija from possessing biometric passports needed for visa free access to Schengen zone. Those wishing to get Serbian passport must travel to Belgrade to receive it, while visa can be obtained in Belgrade or Pristina.
According to this legal act, in a political sense, Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija are collateral damage of all those Albanians in possession or who have right on these passports of Serbia, through which use they could, using no visa zone, plea for asylum in the EU or carry out acts falling under domain of organized crime, but still able to refer to the state of Serbia. On the other hand, on the official page of the German embassy in Belgrade one can find completely contradictory instruction directing all citizens with passports issued by the “Coordination Authority” to submit requests for visa in the Pristina German embassy. I captured this very strange and contradictory diplomatic decision by one serious state and shared it on my Facebook profile. Same thing was noticed by some media, amongst them first was “Kossev” whose journalist even called the embassy, where she received confirmation on this decision.
The most interesting part comes afterwards and is for sure not appropriate to Federal Republic of Germany, which I always observed as serious state in diplomatic and organizational sense. Just today, by chance, I visited the site of the German embassy in Pristina again, and now completely different text can be found under the same section and title “5. Serbian Passports”. This time it states that embassy in Pristina after all is still responsible for the processing of the visa requests.
So, it is obvious that German embassy changed its decision in only a couple of days. I was mostly surprised by their unprofessionalism, even more than their wish to force Serbs living in Serbian autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija to get passports of the false and self – proclaimed state of Kosovo in this manner. I have to admit that it’s not usual that you can see every day examples as such, when Germany “covers itself in ashes”. Furthermore, I would like to point out that this proves once again that our struggle is worth the effort, even with these little steps.
If one serious embassy approaches to these subjects with hollow interest and frivolity, I wonder what other holes are lurking in the pages of the Brussels Agreement and all other acts which serve only to seize basic human rights, on a daily basis, from the Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija. I believe it is final time for educated and erudite people, intellectuals and professionals to leave their lairs and join together their individual efforts in research of these subjects and cases, so it could serve in creation of further smaller victories, no matter how intensively some might claim it to be of no importance. Bring the Germany to its knees, even in this manner, still demonstrates how there is some hope for a struggle which we might lose, but in which we are not defeated in advance.
Like a big bang yesterday a news spread about still unheard discovery of oil and gas in the Russian territories around the Kara sea. Large quantities of crude oil were found in the basin of the Kara sea in the Arctic, which could make this region to become the largest shell site of crude oil, even bigger than the Gulf of Mexico. This statement was revealed by Igor Sechin, chief man of the company Rosneft. However, since this only more interesting is that the general partner of Rosneft in this business is American company Exxon. All this happens in a period of creeping “cold war” on the territory of Ukraine and sanctions imposed from USA towards Russia. Although these American sanctions in July were designed to withhold dollars for “Rosneft” and block access to modern technology, they were not designed to stop the joint projects of American and Russian companies. With new sanctions on 12th September, however it is stated that American companies have deadline until 10/10/2014. to end its operations in Arctic. In the document, titled “Directive 4” from the pages of Department of Treasury of the United States it is clearly and explicitly written what is the subject of these sanctions, while in the document entitled “Sectoral Sanctons Identification” we see a list of companies that are affected by them.
Like all other events, this story has its stronghold in geopolitical trends and things which happening behind the scenes, and therefore I will try to look over its very beginnings and the start of strategic partnership between Exon and Rosneft since the August 2011. Specifically, these two companies on August 31 st, 2011, signed an agreement on strategic cooperation, including research of the Arctic basin. This agreement was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister of Russia at that time Vladimir Putin, president of Rosneft Eduard Khudainatov, deputy prime minister of Russia at that time Igor Sechin and President of Exxon company Niel Duffin. This contract which later is expanded, involves investment of $ 3.2 billion that would be spent on research of 3 blocks in the Kara Sea. The ratio of the joint venture company is 66.7% owned by Rosneft and 33.3% owned by Exxon. Geographical details of the contract can be viewed HERE. According to Bloomberg “Univerzitetskaja” geological structure is the size of Moscow city and big enough to contain at least 9 billion barrels of oil, or the wealth that is worth about $ 900 billion at today’s prices. Russians already mobilized an army that is sent to the destination in order to protect the sites. They only question now is are they going to be able to exploit and drill this oil without Exxon, and also is Exxon going to respect sanctions, remains to be seen.
One reason is actually indicative of all these analogies and the point that I want to depict in this text. At the time of signing this agreement even before signatures there were required some certain negotiations and guarantees before the exact date of signing. If we put all this in the time frame we come to the conclusion that negotiations on this project in the Kara Sea were lasted from at least the beginning of 2011, if not sooner. That year in the world and geopolitical relations was active only one country, and that country was Libya. The same Libya that today is ruled by anarchy, tribal conflicts and chaos, while members of parliament held its sessions at rented Greek ferry in the port of Torbuk. In all previous thoughts about everything what is happening on the global chessboard, I marked only two milestones important for Russia but with a different outcome. The first such milestone is of course Libya, and the second is Syria. When Libya is in focus for many of us will never actually be clear, why Russia has not vetoed a shameful Resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council, which created a legitimate option for military action. If Russia vetoed at that time this resolution, I believe that today in Libya, people would live much better, and Russians would avoid moving of “military zone” towards Ukraine and tightening the belt around Russia. One of the two decisive vote for this military intervention in Libya was given by Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this was ninth vote, and tenth vote was from Portugal. But before voting the delegation of Portugal firmly insisted that they declare themselves after Bosnia and Herzegovina delegation, because after 9 votes it is not important too much how Portugal will vote, unless any of the permanent members put veto, which has not happened. I don´t know why Bosnia and Herzegovina voted for this resolution, but I guess it´s because we are protectorate, and not a sovereign state, no matter how someone would be annoyed by this observation, but voting for this resolution is an obvious proof. Once again Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrated that we are artificial banana creation and not country. Except this at that time we had many of our companies started their jobs and operations in Libya, even from this side we voted against ourselves. From the other permanent members, Russia and China abstained and not vetoed, which in diplomatic terms means that the aggression against Libya is just about to start. How voted permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council you can see in the picture below.
What surprised me personally, and even some more serious geopolitical analysts was certainly the stance of Russia, which in a similar situation some time later made it clear that it will not happen the same thing (mistake) with Syria. As a reason for this Russian decision we can take the geographical proximity of Syria to their boundaries, and the fact that in Tartus, the second largest Syrian port on the Mediterranean sea, is a Russian base, for which from Moscow clarify that it is used only for the overhaul and repair of ships. So, of course we can conclude that these two reasons were enough for Russia to take a tougher stance and to ban potential air strikes on Syria, which was obviously not the case with Libya. An additional argument and one that I wanted to point in the text, and which goes in favor of the setback voting about Libya is signing of this very lucrative oil contract between Exxon and Rosneft. During the same year of 2011. in the month of May there was a meeting of “Arctic Council” in Nuuk the capital of Greenland. This meeting was primarily driven by the fierce debate between Russia and the United States, about who have right to claim its territories in Arctic. On that meeting some things never get defined and many of the borders in the Arctic remained questionable. Guided by this I believe that the Arctic after latest Russian discoveries, could come back into focus of wrangling and power struggle, even maybe in one kind of shout diplomatic conflict that has never been closed. What emerged from that meeting in Nuuk is that Russia and Norway, which is a NATO member, signed an agreement on areas in the Barents Sea, which solved their mutual long-silent conflict over these territories. Except this in the Arctic region still remain a huge number of unsolved questions, which will in the future, and especially with the research of new crude oils increasingly rise geopolitical focus and tensions.
The reason for the signing of this agreement between Rosneft and Exxon could be also of technological nature. Because why would the Russians signed a contract with an American company unless there is not something in mutual interests. In the report from 2007. of the Norwegian green group Belona which declares to protect the natural environment in one part they showed their concerns for hydrocarbon technology that Russia possesses because it was “old and inefficient”. Regarding to this it is easily possible that the contract with Exxon was signed because they possess necessary hydrocarbon technology, which is needed for the exploration and exploitation of the oil and gas sources. In the latest brochure Exon distinguished that they have experience more than 90 years for working in the areas of the Arctic. There should be added that this is certainly not the first project that Exon works with Russia, and prior to this there is a project “Sakhalin 1“, whose main contractor was Exon, where they broke down many records when it comes to drilling and quantity of oil. Rosneft as younger company certainly has less experience in wells such as these in the Arctic, which have higher technological requirements than Rosneft wells in Siberia from which they currently draws the bulk of their profit.
So, things are pretty clear, while aggression was taking place in Libya because of its regime where guilt has not been proven, on the world stage behind the curtain there were conducted these negotiations about capital cash investments between the most powerful Russian state-owned company and most successful American company. I’m pretty sure that Russia has not vetoed a resolution on Libya, inter alia, because of this agreement between Rosneft and Exxon. Somehow I get the impression that the Russians “swallowed” somehow Libyan resolution regarding to this contract. The presence of the Prime Minister at that time, and now President of Russia, is seen as a legitimate state interest of the Russian Federation which is respected, but Americans as Danaans who bear gifts and do not wait, today they brought a present to Russia named by “Crisis in Ukraine” in front of their own door. I am convinced that Ukraine and Russia, should be defended even in 1999 in Yugoslavia, and not to mention how thy should been defended in Libya in 2011. Russians probably knew very well what they risk, although they was hardly able to predict this really unnecessary war in Ukraine and exhaustion in front of their doorstep.
Today we have what we have. This crisis in Ukraine has brought many innocent lives on both sides, one country is divided, and the ghosts of fascism awakened irremediable and whatever the conflict is over, I believe that in this part of the world the situation will always be unstable. Knowing that Russian capitalism is identical to American, but our Serbian traditional ties with them as Orthodoxy, inverted flag, and that the sun rises in the “East” and on the other side depleted uranium from the “West” will always be an argument that sets them apart. That’s exactly why I want Russia consider us on the same way as we thought of them, because in addition to money and capital around which revolves the world, there is something else, something much deeper, which remains after us, and what we inherited, and capitalism force us to forget… Except my personal motives there are also some rational, which are best described by Mr. Willy Wimmer, a former deputy of the Bundestag and admitted friend of our Serbian people. In one of his texts at the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis he posted three questions which I will paraphrase below and with that I will finish this text.
1. Can there be peace in the world if the only hegemonic force is USA?
2. Is there possible respect of international law and world power balance if we do not have Russia?
3. When the EU will stop to be like a soap bubble in the hands of the USA?
Writing my articles about geopolitical position of Kosovo*, an essential thesis that confirms stealing territory from Serbia actually refers to the drug route or so called in Balkans “green transversal”. This itinerary is the way of drugs moving from Afghanistan to Kosovo* and after further to the Europe.Two years ago, one joke appeared on the Internet that the producer of heroin acknowledged the independence of its distributor.It was about Afghanistan, which was officially first acknowledged the independence of Kosovo*.By some estimates, about 65% of the world’s heroin passes through this Serbian province, while 90% of the total amount of drugs coming into Europe from Kosovo*, and all of security for that trade is provided from Bondsteel base. As we can see this is not an ordinary story, and its real foothold we can see in the latest article published by The Economist.
On the other hand, when carried out the intervention in Afghanistan, the U.S. justified struggle against “world terrorism”.After the intervention and disposition of ISAF troops, apart from terrorism they have found themselves in the fight against drugs. Their focus in this kind of the fight to prevent the production of opium was in the incentives that are set aside for Afghan farmers with a view to grow wheat instead of poppies. Except farmers, they also financially rewarded local politicians on whose territories was registered decline in production. Indeed, in this system of prevention U.S. invested more than $ 10 billion, according to data presented by the Special Inspector for Afghanistan John Sopko, responsible for overseeing of the process.
It would be great if something was really achieved with this huge money, but actually according to official UN report about cultivation of poppy in last year these awarded wheat growing Afghan farmers, actually broke down the record in cultivation of opium.That fact is absurd even more because before the intervention in Afghanistan they did not have so much area planted with opium, while after the intervention production always had an upward trend and now it reached its peak.
To make this worse, the money that was invested in reducing cultivation, primarily was invested in those areas that are less hostile to the United States soldiers because of personnel security reasons.The result of this was counterproductive as it increased production in the provinces that are under the control of the Taliban fighters. With simple economic calculations if they reduce the production, demand remains the same (or increases in drug case), then the price can only grow.This has two economic consequences:
First one is that the manufacturer makes more money because it produces the same as before then but now for a higher price, which means he has more money to reinvest in even greater production of heroin. The second one takes some time, because it encourages higher profits and greater production of both existing manufacturers and new participants.Thus, the global supply of heroin is growing.
Regard this analysis, I participated last year in one seminar in Prague, organized by the Diplomatic Division of NATO. Among other sessions there was one guided by Peter Pelc, former ambassador of the Czech Republic in Afghanistan. He mostly talked about how this country is stabilized by a process of democratization after the fall of the Taliban government.
On my statement in this context addressed to ambassador Pelz, that Kosovo* is major transit hub for drugs coming from Afghanistan and that is what actually mostly hold the economy of “west”, and that these are two “countries” that are in the process of democratization and nation-building and in both we can find U.S. bases located under cover and ensuring this commerce, and that there is no much coincidence when Afghanistan was the first country that recognized Kosovo*, later I presented him the following data from UN report, but then I did not know how much U.S. invested to suppress cultivation.After this statement the question just raised itself.
Does NATO troops protect the interests of the people or provide the drug trade that flows freely?The answer that I received from the ambassador after a few seconds of silence and scratching his head was extremely funny, and boiled down to the fact that Kosovo * and Afghanistan can not be compared in terms of state-building and that good questions cant always give us good answers. For smart person that answer is enough.
This brief analyse in all ways made pointless American principles of fighting in Afghanistan, and possibly also whole their intervention, because after so many years they achieved nothing within their official plans.On the other hand certainly they have reached money interests of the military and other industries.Economically where we have demand, profit will always find its way.But I guess it is clear to everyone reasonable that the “War on drugs” is just an ordinary “perpetuum mobile” for the trade financed by tax dollars, of which the profit for the most part stays in the hands of powerful individuals.
Every day as usually I firstly open my email to check on new messages. But on my surprise this morning I´ve got one mail from my Ukrainian friend who is now working in Shanghai at China Institute for Innovation. We met each other in Poland two years ago on Economic Forum of Young leaders. His letter is about some special facts about Ukraine, mostly about those things that we usually don´t think of these days… Of course that I will transfer his mail here, but that what he wrote also inspired me to search a bit more about something interesting and nice about Ukraine to broke this every day monotony of conflict and to show you another side of this country. Here is letter of my friend Sergii and 5 facts about his country, after letter I will put illustrations and add few more facts.
Dear Neven
Ukraine has been pretty much on the news recently.
When I meet a new person and on the question “Where are you from?”, I reply “Ukraine” the next comment is usually “Oh, your country in mess now”. Usually I say “It’s temporarily and will get better soon”. In country’s life as well as in person’s life are ups and downs. Challenging times makes us stronger. I believe that Ukraine will get better. Here I decided to share with you five unknown or not that well known facts about Ukraine (you might share it with your friends):
Ukraine is the largest country whose territory is entirely located in Europe. Larger than Ukraine in Europe – only Russia, Turkey and Denmark. However, most part of Russia and Turkey are in Asia, and the Danish island of Greenland belongs to North America region.
In a beauty contest of languages in Paris in 1934, the Ukrainian language is ranked third after French and Persian on such criteria as phonetics, vocabulary, phraseology and sentence structure and took the second place after the Italian language in terms of melodiousness.
Ukraine has 1/4 of all stocks of black soil on the planet. Black soil with proper handling gives the greatest number of crops and considers as the best land for agriculture.
Ukraine has developed the aircraft with the largest carrying capacity in the world – AN-225 “Mriya” (English name “Dream”). Originally it was designed to transport spacecrafts. The airplane “Dream” set 124 Guinnes records by taking on board 253 tons of cargo per flight in 2001.
One of the world’s most famous Christmas songs – a “Shchedryk” ukrainian folk song was recorded by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. The world knows her as Carol of the Bells and Ring Christmas Bells.
Of course we do have lots of places with deep history, beautiful sea and mountains landscapes, delicious food, such as borsch and varenyky (dumplings with potato) and old style rich architecture. As one of the examples, you may check the cultural capital of Ukraine – Lviv city.
Thank you! All the Best, Sergii
Except these five facts from my friend Sergy I searched for 10 more and here they are.
6. The “geographic center” of Europe is on the territory of Ukraine not far from Rakhiv in Zakarpatia oblast. As far back as 1887, experts of Austria Hungary had determined this point, stele and land-surveying sign marking it. In Latin, the following words were engraves there: LОСUS РЕRЕNNІS. Dilicentissime cum lіbеllа lіbrаtіоnіs guае еst іп Аustrіа еt Нungаrіа соnfесtа сum mеnsurа grаdum mеrіdіоnаlіum еt раrаllеlоumіеrum Еurореum. МD ССС LХХХVІІ, ” translated it sound like this: “Permanent, exact, and eternal place. Very precisely, using special apparatus made in Austria and Hungary, with scale of meridians and parallels, set the Center of Europe. 1887”
7. Arsenalnaya Metro Station in Kiev is the deepest metro station in the world (105 meters). The station was built in 1960, very close to the House of Parliament. According to some reports, the tunnels near Arsenalnaya house secret shelters built specially for the political elite.
8. Ukraine, on its own initiative, refused the third largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world. At the moment of the declaration of independence, Ukraine had over a thousand nuclear warheads and the third largest nuclear potential after Russia and USA. The warheads and missiles were given to Russia, silos were destroyed. In response, Ukraine received the money for disarmament, plus security guarantees from the nuclear powers. I am wondering myself where are those guarantees today, and could it be maybe better in Ukraine nowadays if they would still had something from that nuclear arsenal…
9. The world’s famous song “O Sole Mio” was composed in Odessa. This song is often referred to as a Neapolitan song. Neapolitan songs were songs written for an annual songwriting contest for the Festival of Piedigrotta, which began in 1830, in Naples, Italy. “O Sole Mio” was composed by Eduardo Di Capua in Odessa during April 1898. Setting his music to the poem by Giovanni Capurro, Di Capua drew his inspiration while touring Crimea with his father (a violinist street musician). Di Capua and Capurro sold the rights of the song to the Bideri publishing house for 25 lire.
11. Ukrainians wear their wedding ring on the ring finger of their right hand instead of their left hand.
12. Ukraine suffered the world’s worst recorded nuclear accident. On the morning of April 26, 1986, reactor No. 4 at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 80 miles north of Kiev, exploded, sending radioactive contaminants three miles up into the atmosphere and out over parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.
13. The monuments to a famous Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko (Taras Buljba), are set in 1200 places around the world. However, most of them are located in western Ukraine.
14. The oldest map known to scientists, as well as the most ancient settlement of Homo Sapiens were found in Ukraine, in the village of Mezhireche. They are 14.5 – 15 thousand years old. The map is cut out of the bones of a mammoth. The settlement is made of the same material.
15. Khreshchatyk Street in Kiev is the shortest yet widest main city street in the world. Its length is 1.2 km.
I know that Ukraine suffer harsh times these days, but at least this could be my tribute to all my Ukrainian friends with wishes for peace, tolerance, mutual respect. Ukraine is geographically an European country but with its history, culture, religion, heritage and tradition belongs to the Eastern civilizational circle. That is what Ukraine is, a country with wealth in differences and its specific position.
The latest events in Ukraine really showed us plenty of things, but perhaps most important thesis that stretches from the beginning of demonstration in Kiev, over referendum on Crimea, to the latest developments on the brink of war in Donetsk and Slaviansk the return of a multi-polar world order. Ukraine was accidentally or “intentionally” chosen to be the training ground for modern geopolitical chess game in which we can see the strength, power and influence testing between Russia and the United States. At the beginning of the year in conclusion of the text about Russian missile diplomacy I mentioned this thesis about return of “multipolarity” and straightening poles on a global scale.As time passed, this thesis become increasingly clear and I think we’re much more in remind of the former Cold War rhetoric.
Return of Russia began with blockade of resolution about Syria intervention, and reached its zenith putting Crimea under its control.I think that in Russian case nothing is over yet, and that this is just the beginning.On the other side, the United States began to act like this long time ago and it is needless to enumerate: Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine … Sympthomatic things about these events in Ukraine are the methods used for superiority.These methods of taking and putting under control the administrative buildings were used in Kiev, and the same were later used in Crimea, as well in the Donetsk.Apparent intentions of pro – russian population that they can fight for their status only with the same methods as we saw in Kiev.Although the official position of Russia that are not involved in the events in Donetsk, it is obvious that they are on the territory of Ukraine represented via their secret services, either Russians and USA. The only who suffer in situation like this is Ukrainian people and their economy.
The last time when circumstances were such geopolitically like this, there has been formed “third block”, ie Non-Aligned Movement in 1961.year.This formula, which were first among equals applied by president of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito, president of Egypt Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of India Jawaharlal Nehru, president of Indonesia Sukarno and president of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah, proved to be very successful in the circumstances that prevailed at that time.Non-Aligned Movement member states were generally overwhelmingly positioned at the margins of the world impacts and the only affirmation within such alliances could bring their joint action to find collective interest and that their voice become honored by the great powers.Yugoslavia was particularly in a very specific situation of a “big gap” between East and West, either geographically and politically.Opting for one or the other completely, would mean economic collapse and political problems.The only logical solution was to remain non-aligned, or “neutral” in some way, and to get legitimacy and regard by others.President Tito of Yugoslavia as an good expert of his chances and “diplomatic fox” performed this maneuver with surgical precision and in the best possible manner in the interest of Yugoslavia.
You don´t need not be so smart to conclude how successful diplomatic formula should be applied to identical political and global circumstances nowadays.I say this primarily referring to today’s awkward diplomatic position of Serbia and even worse position of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which since its establishment in this form there is no consistent diplomacy or foreign policy as a consequence of its internal political relations.To put it mildly, situation in this area is chaotic and could be described as good joke.ForSerbia we know that country is officially in the process of accession negotiations with the EU, as well with small steps towards NATO membership.These small steps are reflected especially in the sending of an officer of the Army of Serbiaat the headquarter office at NATO Joint Force Command in Naples, as well as few official meetings of officials of NATO and the Serbian Army.This is supported also by the dispatch from Wikileaks, originally sent from the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade to hands of Hillary Clinton.In this dispatch Jovan Ratkovic said that as a former Minister of Defense, President Tadic knows the issue well. Tadic believes that Serbia cannot remain outside of NATO forever, but doesn’t say this often because of the political sensitivity of the issue. Ratkovic explained that after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the citizens of Yugoslavia assumed that they would be among the first to enter both the European Union and NATO. It wasn’t until the wars of the Milosevic era and the 1999 NATO intervention that anti-NATO sentiment developed in Serbia. Ratkovic characterized current public support for Partnership for Peace participation and NATO membership as “surprisingly high” given Serbia’s history.”However, a little further eastern Serbia parallel builds strong ties with Russia, which the most visible evidence is the route of South Stream. In these circumstances, when it comes to complicating of situation in Ukraine and when UN General Assembly vote on the resolution which annexed the Crimea to Russia, inevitably comes up pressure on Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where both states generally were abstain from the voting.
Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia were the only abstain countries in the Balkans, which in general means that you are not declared.All other countries in the Balkans and from former Yugoslavia voted for this resolution. With this “garbled” move Serbia wanted to preserve good relations with the “booth sides” but after a while we can certainly expect this to bring new problems for Government because EU did not expect that, and in these circumstances, “to be abstain” means having position that not coincide with the same position within the EU.In Bosnia & Herzegovina abstain is almost standard story because three members of the Presidency who is in charge of foreign policy in general, could not agree on voting.Because of all the above mentioned, and primarily because of the “neo – multipolarity” and the complexity of the position in which are Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am very confident that both countries should clearly and diplomatically bring focus to change the status of observer and gain full membership status in the Non-Aligned Movement.Already in advance within the EU, on the possibility of these idea they did not take it too kindly and even emphasize that Serbia is no longer “non-aligned” and have to decide, although the EU itself is in the same position as the former Yugoslavia once.The attitude of the United States passed by the current Ambassador to Belgrade Michael Kirby showed us other side when he said :
“And for me, it will be interesting to contemplate that Serbia will do it, because it is a successor of Tito’s Yugoslavia, which was the founder of the Non-Aligned Movement.There is some ritual sense about the Non-Aligned Movement that will not take any side.This is something that Serbia has in its history, and perhaps in its future “
Except remark that Serbia is treated as successors of the former Yugoslavia, full membership in Non – Aligned would have greater maneuver space for Serbian nowadays situation.Deeper engagement and mobility in Non – Aligned movement could regain some old traditional friendship and improve economical situation, especially in the countries of growing African economies. On the other hand there would be possible to make legitimate retreat towards NATO and also to confirm neutrality of Serbia declared by its National Assembly in Constitution.Besides this enhanced and a full engagement of Serbia would bring new energy to the Non-Aligned Movement and give more on the scale of importance.This would be also a great opportunity for Bosnia and Herzegovina to include itself seriously in international circles and to become more influent in the outer policy. With its comparative advantages Bosnia & Herzegovina could to accomplish primarily some economic benefits as well as Serbia, and moreover could be placed as partner with stance equally towards all, without any repercussions because all countries are aware of its constitution and complexity. Except this, Bosnia and Herzegovina should be completely demilitarized in the future, but this is not the subject of this analysis. My opinion is that with very quick turnaround to the Non-Aligned Movement, the position of Serbia would be much better, especially at the principles of greater development of economic diplomacy, without major political stories, and the situation at the global level itself brings us to this possible solution.This would also help to some stabilization in the Balkans relations between these two countries, as well as within Bosnia & Herzegovina itself, where there would not be different pressures and ugly methods tore down the position of the Republic of Srpska which guaranteed by the Dayton agreement and the focus should be shifted from political and constitutional questions to and only to economic development.When all is summed up, it seems that an indirect hint from Ambassador Kirby in general does not seem so bad, and how we are going to do, time will tell us in the future.
This violence that we can watch these days on the streets of Kiev is far more than ordinary expression of popular anger against a government. Instead of that I think that this is actually the latest example of most insidious form of fascism rebirth that Europe has seen since the fall of the Third Reich. I will present you here few organisations that fought there for better Ukraine with EU values against regime of Victor Yanukovych. Maybe his governance was not so good and beside this protest social situation in Ukraine could be better, but can you imagine what would happen in USA if there were scenes like this from Kiev ?
Please watch this short video.
One of the first organisations that took part in ruining and burning of Kiev is called “Right Sector” The organisation believes the current situation is an opportunity “to destroy the state skeleton” and start building a new state, although activists said they do not support the idea of joining the EU, which they consider to be an “oppressor of European nations”. Their founder is Stephen Bandera. People from western part of Ukraine consider him as hero, while people from eastern part of Ukraine and Russia consider him as extreme nationalist, terrorist and quisling. Former president of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko awarded to Bandera the title of Hero of Ukraine in January 2010., but that title was officially annulled by president Victor Yanukovych in 2011. This is their old logo, a Wolfsangel rune, a common symbol for European neo-Nazi organizations.
Luftwaffe official flag and German SS division helmet.
Next organisation from these demonstrations that remind us on fascistic period is “Svoboda“, the Ukraine’s ultra-nationalist party that capture 10% of the votes at the last elections and entering the legislature for the first time. Their base of support is mainly in the country’s west, while voters in the east and south view them as extremists. The leader of the Svoboda, Oleh Tyahnybok, regularly appears alongside Vitali Klitschko as one of the key protest participants. Svoboda party gain membership as observer at the Alliance of European National Movements, along with France’s National Front, the British National Party.
Except this Vice Chairman of the “Svoboda” Pankevych Oleh Ihorovych last year took part with his speech at funeral of Ukrainians who fought for Nazi SS soldiers during WWII. You can watch this from 0:32 on video below.
Another organisation that was represented as opposition is Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms (Udar) led by the former world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko. As we know from the history of demonstrations (UDAR or PUNCH) symbol is “Raised fist” formerly used in Yougoslavia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, these days in Ukraine, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Venezuela. This party also have strong link with EU because they got observer status at European People’s Party. The party won 40 seats in the Ukrainian parliament. At photos below we can see Klitschko at visit to the NATO HQ. On the second photo he is with mentioned senator McCain.
Protesters from Kiev also made their link with Syrian rebels today. They put Syrian rebel flag beside their national Ukraine flag at the main square in Kiev. Most of us are aware of USA perfidious games around Syria, especially about chemical attack for which they accused Assad forces, and actually that attack was rebel inside job. Fortunately, Russia has seen through this game and stopped the NATO intervention in Syria. So what we can conclude after we saw Syrian rebel and terrorist flag at Kiev main square ?
All what happening these days in Ukraine is actually very simple geostrategical game of special war, very well organised by western intelligence. Goal of special war is to use citizens of home country in this case Ukraine, as their warriors. USA and NATO lost their chance for false intervention and conquering of Syria but they have managed very fast how to repress Russia. Ukraine was wisely selected for that purpose, because of complex religious situation and invisible division on eastern and western part (blue & orange). Their goal is to make Russia weaker on geopolitical chessboard. On that board few months ago we had game of “shield & missiles” arround Kaliningrad where Russia showed strength of theirmissile diplomacyon stage. Of course social situation in Ukraine is not on satisfactory level, but those who organized protests dont care for that, because their purpose and final goal is not to help Ukraine to overcome their social and economic problems. As conclusion to this text I will say that I have few excellent Ukrainian friends and especially for them and all other Ukrainians… let there firstly be peace.
For a long time I wanted to write my first and also quality article about Russia, and now I have finally decided to do it. In a bunch of information from the global scene that come to us about the involvement of Russia about the issue of Syria, Iran, Ukraine and others, I will try to get out what might be important and crucial during 2014, as well as relations between the United States and NATO – on one hand and Russia on the other. I will start my analysis with the annual press conference held by President of Russia Vladimir Putin on December 19th, 2013. The conference lasted more than 4 hours and topics were various, from Snowden to the Ukrainian issue, but what is important for this text and what I will point out here, is actually the question of Russian ballistic missile systems. This part is important because it applies as a potential answer on the setting of NATO ( U.S. ) missile shield in Europe called EuroPRO. Putin´s conference was very interesting for watching, and from minute 28 in video you can find a question that reporter asked Putin regarding the missile systems Iskander. Video of particularly this part I put below.
The most important moment in Putin´s answer was the information that Moscow has not yet made an official decision about placing those missiles in the Kaliningrad region, and that the “Iskander missiles are not the only means we have at our defense however, and not the only possible response to the threats we see around us. They are just one possible response and certainly not the most effective, though in their particular class they are the most effective weapons system in the world.” Now we ask ourselves which are an additional potential responses and what is the meaning of Putin´s words? I will try to give my opinion and to explain this below, but first something about the operational – tactical missile system called Iskander and its performance.
Iskander system consists of two subsystems Iskander – M and Iskander – E. These are new Russian tactical ballistic missiles on solid fuel and with range from 50-280 km (Iskander M) and 400 km (Iskander E). In addition to this feature there is also modern inertial – optical guidance system, warhead with weight of 480 kg and possibility of use on temperatures between – 50 and + 50 degrees of Celsius. Rocket is launched from launch carrier military vehicle that can carry one or two Iskander missiles. Accuracy of “Iskander” is two meters shortfall, which is ideal for shooting small targets. Although to its ballistic trajectory, “Iskander” missile is set on vehicle as sloping shot, and it allows missile to remain almost hidden from radar one part of the flight. In the picture below you can see a graphics that explains the features of “Iskander”.
As Putin himself said in response, Iskander is not all that Russia can “offer” and that’s just one of the possible options. The real question is what is the second stage of Russia adequate response to the actions of NATO? The answer was just given by Dmitry Rogozin in his New Year’s greeting card addressed to NATO from his official Twitter profile.
Naturally this was joke from our great and convicted Serbian friend, who also mentioned information about his Serbian ancestry in one interview few years ago. As we know by the Murphy´s law that “in every joke has a bit of a joke”, and based on it, this image carries a strong diplomatic message. On this photo except Santa Claus, his pretty Claus Lady and soldiers, there is a missile Topol – M or the smartest rocket in the world! I believe that Putin, in his reply at the conference primarily meant exactly on this rocket, as something what Russia can further show or just simply “the second stage of missile diplomacy”. Topol – M rocket is also on solid fuel with static and mobile base. Length of its three stage corpus with the head portion is 22.7 m and diameter is 1.95 m, while the weight of the warhead is 1.2 tons! The range of missile is greater than 10 000 km and it crosses that distance as shown from rehearsals in 20-25 minutes. According to the level of combat readiness and precision this missile twice exceeds all previously existing intercontinental ballistic rockets in the world. The missile complex “Topol – M”, in the eyes of its general constructor Yuri Solomon, overcome all other intercontinental ballistic missiles by many parameters, and “fall into the brightest flares that we have today“. To shut down Topol – M someone must use between 5 and 7 interceptors from land. Today United States have 26 installed interceptors at Fort Greely in Alaska and 4 at base Vandenberg in California. At the same line with this info, we should add an interesting report of Chuck Hagel U.S. Secretary of Defense about installment of additional 14 missile interceptors until 2017. So, from the everything above we can make conclusion that ” Topol – M ” is the second level that comes after “Iskander”.
If putting in readiness of Topol – M system wouldn´t be sufficient for the U.S. and NATO to stop their unilateral hegemony in its own polar world, I believe that Russians will enter into last stage before final and worst stage called global war. That war will be only in case if they are forced to, they will not cause it first, certainly because in the west “Me” is written with the uppercase M, and “me” in the east is written with lowercase letter. By my opinion and research the third phase of the Russian missile diplomacy would be positioning their submarines on the coast of Cuba. That position of Cuba was used earlier in the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union at the period of “Cuban missile crisis in 1962.” Nowadays, the president of Russia, “probably would not” install missiles directly on the territory of Cuba, but at the Cuban coast there would be at least one Russian submarine. That submarine would be probably the newest one and most modern that Russia is currently building of the class Borei, called “Vladimir Monomakh“. It is named after one of the best statesmen in medieval Kievan Rus, which participated in 13 successful military battles in the name and honor of his father, and except battles he often participated in diplomatic negotiations, so you have to admit that background of this submarine name fits nicely into the whole story. The first submarine of this class “Yuriy Dolgorukiy” whose construction began in 1996th, recently completed successfully a program of tests and is already officially in the use. Other submarine of the same class named “Alexander Nevsky” was introduced a few days ago in the composition of the Russian Navy at yearly ceremony. They carry out missile from the system “Bulava” which is actually a naval version of the continental system “Topol – M” with similar performance and range, by this we can clearly imagine their strength and purpose. Apart from these two submarines, Putin announced that Russia will expand its fleet to eight new submarines from the class of Borei by 2020.
That this story about third stage of Russian missile diplomacy have its value, is also confirmed by news from the August last year about “friendly visit” of Russian military ships to Cuba. All of us who observe the world with the eyes of geopolitics will certainly know that except friendly motives there are also those geostrategical. Beside this, relations between Cuba and Russia are more than friendly and that this visit is not just accidental is shown by the info from December last year. Info was about that Russia wrote off 90% of debt that Cuba had with the former Soviet Union, which amounted to 29 billion $. In addition, at the end of this text in last sentence, there is point about interest of Russian oil companies for drilling in Cuba. Following this sentence, I came up on information about official meeting at the end of last year, between Raul Castro and Igor Sechin CEO of Rosneft, as well as the activities of Zarubezhneft in Cuba in 2013. With all these geostrategic, friendly, diplomatic and economic initiatives Russians are obviously trying to provide support from Castro and to get undisturbed access to Cuban territorial waters. Someone would say, “once partners, always partners.”
With this I would try to finish my strategic text, which slowly introduces us to return of a bipolar world, or if you ask me the better one, because this polar we have on the scene today since the fall of the Berlin Wall, was not proved as successful at all. Many of us in the past 20 years or so, felt that hegemony on our back. If you are small and weak as it was case with fragmented republics of former Yugoslavia, there was no other option except to stay on your own way and being hit on your back immediately and now, or join them and also being hit on back during some time but so subtly and with a smile, and finally at least lose yourself even more. Certainly in geopolitics there is one old phrase and rule that only interests are eternal. This rule not exclude either Russia when the interests are at stake. They also showed their “capitalist teeth” even to Serbs, especially with agreements about South Stream ownership. We have choice to be in favor or against, but for the whole world balance and future of the planet, the awakening of Russia and eastward shift of pin scale is generally a positive thing. The first example of this kind that we have witnessed is the one with Syria issue, and stop of the resolution for the bombing which has proved so far as right decision. And we who are “small and weak” but with a big heart, should slow down a little bit and wait for the pan on a global scale to balance completely. If we put the question of Kosovo* in focus, Russia is the one who will put veto on Kosovo* application for membership in the UN, it will certainly not be done by the European countries in the Security Council, and neither the United States. If we put at that same focus the question of the Republic of Srpska then the presence of Russian companies here will actually ensure strategic compact of Republika Srpska inBrcko as well peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, because I doubt that the Russians would left their capital to “war junta” if by any chances we maybe experience war again in Bosnia. The third argument is the historical connection and sentimentality which our Serbian people has with Russia or as we call it sometimes (mother Russia). Of course that’s fine and nice, but today at the time of capitalism, big oil companies and global muscle training, I will leave this argument still in third place. These arguments we certainly do not have with a western civilization heritage, unless we exclude the first major export of prunes from Serbia to the U.S. in 1882, and its value of one million $/per year. But as far as I know, those were old better times of some other America, and other Serbia. Большое спасибо!
It was really shown as excellent thing in practice so far by writing my own texts only when I feel a special need and inspiration. Accordingly, these days actually I experienced great bumps of inspiration and motivation and now I decided to sort them in a text whose idea was old enough. In fact, this is something to which I occasionally warned before, and now it deserve particular analysis. We are aware of rewrite of our Serbian Orthodox history, of course I hope that we are also aware of some our personal mistakes in that same history that we could argue about for years, but I wonder are we aware of cultural ethnocide, which takes place today, so slowly and quiet, and almost nobody pay attention to it?
Belgrade Cultural Centre in Serbia these days is place of exhibition on Albanian victims. It is about personal confessions of children who survived the crime of war group “Scorpions” and name of theme is Bogujevci Visual History. Before I write anything, of course I want to say that for me all victims are the same and that no victim is neither more, nor less than the other, and that we should pay tribute for all victims equal. The victim is not just an ordinary number, letter or picture in the museum, the victim is sacred, pain and sorrow no matter whose. Unfortunately, the victims themselves are often used for purposes of manipulation and achieving certain political goals or aspirations in the long term politics, and that is what particularly despise me a lot. The problem arises at the moment when we forget our own victims, and leave space for the other ones, which will make collective blame of the Serbian people and unconvicted convicts. Even that, is not such an issue, because throughout history we have been accustomed on some way for this role and we bear it heroic, when we are guilty and when we are not, all the way from NATO bombing in 1999, to Hollywood movies about bad Serbian guys. The fact that someone else is constantly thinking of how to make their own victim marketing, and therefore bigger victim (and I’ve already mentioned that there is no bigger victims and that all victims are the same in front of God and the people no matter whose), to harm another side, it is actually his personal thing and thing of his politicization, and I would say also disrespect of their own victims. The essential problem actually lies in our forgetfulness. It is not a problem to maintain in Belgrade what it is maintained these days in that cultural centre, but the problem is because there is no refer on our own victims from Kosovo, also there is even less refer about those victims of the 1999 th, and actually more refer about demolishing the building of the General Staff (one of the symbols of suffering) and not to mention the fact and possibility that in Pristina and Tirana they make an exhibition about organ trafficking in Kosovo, Bondstil super modern hospital and “Yellow House”, or about the life and death of the six Serbian youngsters killed in Pec exactly 15 years ago, or if it is on some sort too much for somebody, then at least they can make exhibition about hard life of Serbian children in Kosovo nowadays. I think that we will not find there such cultural exhibitions, if I’m wrong, please correct me.
Except we forget our own victims, we also started to forget a little bit our cultural heritage. From my friend whom I respect, and who appreciates my work on blog, I got one video that relates to the church in Samodreza. At this link you can see more about history of this church, which is located in Vucitrn, but important is the fact and traditional story of commitment of Prince Lazar army in this church before Battle of Kosovo in 1389. Until today the church was not rebuilt and now has turned into the Albanian public toilet. What to say except shame and disgrace.
Inside of Samodreza church
You surely think that this is the worst thing that can befall a sanctuary like this, but you are wrong. In the video footage that I previously mentioned and which I received from my friend, you can see Albanian professor and historian Bedri Xhema how talking about church in Samodreza as Illyrian instead Serbian Orthodox, and in one part he mention also Nemanjic family (most important Serbian dynasty) how they are not exactly Serbs but more Illyrians, and finally he will probably turn them to Albanians. I would appreciate if someone knows Albanian language to help me in detailed translation. This is exactly what I was saying at the beginning, of what is happening spontaneously and somehow insensibly, just as it occurred “Kosovo independence” in the past 100 years.
I have personally witnessed to similar situation like this previous one. In fact, it was a visit to Decani Monastery by minister Vlora Citaku from self claimed Kosovo* Government. Even in this visit there would be no dispute if she only wanted just to see the monastery and not to send a political message that was actually sent from her official Twitter account. This was at the beginning of July this year and of course comment that she wrote as part of her visit indeed, directly appropriated Decani monastery as “their (read Albanian) cultural heritage” what provoked my comment below, after which I was immediately blocked by the monk and host of Decani monastery Sava Janjic.
All that is written above fully explains my desire to write just such a text that will provide a short and sharp cross-section of the state in which we find ourselves today, and that perhaps we drop down even more day by day. Knowing how well the Albanian strategy is persistent in what they want (which I absolutely respect as a feature of their people in terms of fairness) and that time is their ally, it is not their problem to wait even 50 or 100 years, so that some churches and monasteries in Kosovo start to proclaim as their own. For authority of Serbia officially, Kosovo is an autonomous province, but unofficially since a few days ago on the border between Serbia and Kosovo* customs start to work, so the Government in Serbia almost recognizes Kosovo* in some sort of way. Albanians are of course aware of this, but they still have two problems for complete their satisfaction. One problem is in the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and the second one is in the brave Serbian people that lives there. So on lately elections they started to divide Serbs on the south and north, and soon I expect the division into east and west, the Chetniks and Partisans, Delije and Grobari (Supporters of two biggest clubs in Serbia), rich and poor, those from the countryside and those from city … etc. I believe that it will not be strange for them to divide people as much as they can. Accordingly only what remains as their problem after that division is Serbian Orthodox cultural heritage, and we see now how they start to work diligently on this plan to turn our history in their own. As I said, I respect the victims, but I do not accept oblivion of our own sacrifice and victims, and when we cant see a reciprocal cultural exhibition in Tirana about Serbian victims, here’s my text instead of that. When they organize exhibition in Tirana and Pristina I will write about Albanian victims, and until then I will ask myself where is Serbia, and why nowhere ?
Lake Gazivode, my next stop here in the north part of Kosovo & Metohija and the text that will be hit like „Bullseye“, right in the middle because this lake is strategic Bullseye of Kosovo – or just simplly solution for many other strategic games here. This lake is actually very important strategic point for both, Belgrade and Pristina , which is located in the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija, which could determine the future of the Serbian people here in Kosovo. The construction of this artificial lake began in 1972 with the laying down of the cornerstone by Dzemal Bijedic president of Federal Government of Former Yugoslavia and it was completed in 1977 record quickly and with surprise for all the people in view of the speed of pure mountain water that loads this reservoir lake. It was created by damming of the river Ibar. This lake mostly spread its surface throughout the municipality of Tutin and Novi Pazar in western Serbia and through the municipality of Zubin Potok in Serbia southern province of Kosovo & Metohija . Construction of this dam was financed by a loan of the IMF – and value of loan that Yugoslavia was picked up for this purpose amounted to $ 45 million. Construction works were performed by Belgrade based company ” Hidrotehnika” as one of the most famous European companies for the construction of dams and dikes. Length of the lake is 24 km and the width of 12 km ². Damming the river Ibar with dam of 107 m and width of 460 m created a lake of 380 million m³ of water, a lake Gazivode. This dam was built from natural materials (soil, stones and clay) and as such is one of the largest in Europe. Above the lake you can see mountain area „Mokra Gora“ , and also near this you can find monastery of Crna Reka . Although pompous , big and important, lake Gazivode took a “victim” for its construction, and that victim was Serbian people area that was completely decimatedfrom Ibar – Kolasin .How much great was that sacrifice we can hear by the Mayor of Zubin Potok, Slavisa Ristic , who says that at that time only with first autumn 3500 people left their homes, and 12 villages were submerged, four cemeteries and also one under water cultural heritage site of Helen of Anjou from Nemanjic period . In addition to this, a large number of villages remained cut off from the right side of the lake, and eventually they were forced to leave their homes because the project was not the foreseen construction of a bridge between left and right side of this lake. The people who left their homes in the most settled Sumadija and the rest of the Serbs from area of Ibar – Kolasin today mostly living in the part of municipality of Zubin Potok. After these, more or less, statistical and general information about lake Gazivode the question is : why is this lake so important to everyone ?
As situation stands, we can say that water in the future will become what oil is today , if it is not already become… This is the first and general reason why the people and countries should keep and respect its natural resources, and not to sell them for nothing or to left them to be part of political pressure to compromise and give up in negotiations .
The second reason is a practical one and is related to water supply with Gazivode . The water from this lake is used to cool the turbine plant “Obilic” in Pristina, which produces electricity for 80 % of the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. The water from Gazivode also irrigated lowlands of Kosovo. This water from a small dam Pridvorica in the village Velji Breg of Serbian municipality of Zubin Potok takes a long channel of 20 km to the Sipolje in southern part of Mitrovica which is exclusively inhabited by the Albanian population. In that factory water is processed and further distributed to consumers in north and south part of Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvecan, Srbica and Vucitrn. But for reasons known only to Albanians , Serbs in the Northern part of Kosovo and Metohija experience frequent water shortages and restrictions.
Thirdly, water from the lake Gazivode with special channels and pumps, drains to Gracanica lake, near Pristina, where it goes into the system for consumption in this city. About this testifies the fact that during 2011. in the Zupce village was restored channel at the jagged “Ibar – Lepenc” that leading to Pristina. This is important becouse Pristina partly uses water from small lakes Batllava and Badovc but it’s not enough for this city and the rest of Kosovo. Also in favor of the strength of the strategic importance of the lake Gazivodethe Albanians should note the fact that Pristina is the only capital city of some province in Europe that has no river. According to the 2011 census in Pristina there is about 199 000 inhabitants which is very uncertain for future water supply , if we add to this, for Albanians very important foreign missions and missions that are in the city, who also have a problem with pollution some things become much clearer about Gazivode importance.
The fourth reason and not less important are the economic entities in Kosovo. I am primarily referring here to large companies and foreign companies (U.S. and Germany ), which would drive the mines , power plants and other factories whose work is of course in need of water and lot of it , and they have only Gazivode lake that can handle this. Example of mine that has enormous deposits of coal in this case, and also the largest one in Europe, which is important for energy security and strategic terms, the Trepca mine , who can´t function without Gazivode lake. So, to invest their capital in Kosovo * and to ensure quality control and resources Wesley Clark and his company Enviditi must firstly either with diplomacy or pure force to provide uninterrupted water supply entirely in Albanian hands.
The fifth reason is from “corner of a daredevil” and a bit crazy, but should not be excluded from this analysis, is dam demolition at Gazivode in the case of military interventions and serious violations of human rights of Serbs in the north part of province. In the case of dam destruction Kosovo would be razed to the ground all the way to Pristina. The trouble is that this would also demolish North Mitrovica and that would be large sacrifice, but when your life is in danger you never know … Serbs in northern Kosovo still hold the key in their hands. About this idea of a dam demolition, there were some unofficial indications during the NATO bombing in 1999 as this dam was one of the potential targets, but this scenario is fortunately rejected.
During all this time the Government of self proclaimed * Kosovo put lake Gazivode in all of the major energy policy documents that can be found on their website. I’ll give you here one and the most important for me, which you can see HERE. This strategic – energy document worked in collaboration with the World Bank that planned full utilization of Gazivode by the 2035, and on the pages 21 and 22 it can be easily seen that the initial plans to take Gazivode are for the period from 2013 – 2017 year. Also on pages 46 and 47 They considering legal aspects of Kosovo’s recognition and accordingly to this legal arbitration between Serbia and Kosovo * on natural resources.
The U.S. is on the side of the Albanians without saying it loudly, but it’s very interesting how they analyze the question of Gazivode . After my search of all possible documents that are attached to Gazivode lake in English I came across a very comprehensive and interesting dispatch from WikiLeaks from 2007 written by the U.S. Embassy in Pristina. In this generous dispatch which you can see HERE, it is very clear their position on ” the importance of Gazivode” but also it recommends great caution. Except United States for the lake Gazivode is probably not less interested Germany , which after Fukushima shut down all its nuclear reactors. One part of Germany energy sector has provided by well-known „North stream“ and the second part will probably try to search in the Balkans. This is supported by RWE and their interest groups for the upper part of the Drina, and also negotiations with the government of the Republic of Srpska concerning the construction of hydroelectric power plants have indeed failed becaouse of reasons known only to them , but obviously there is interest in here . Shortly after this, the Government of Serbia has signed an agreement with the same German group to build five hydroelectric power plants on the Velika Morava and Drina. If we add to this their presence in the Bulgarian market and aspirations in Croatia all this could be interpreted that the entry of Germany into the energy region of Kosovo is very certain. To add more on this, few days before Kosovo media reported that in the 2015. Their government is going to build a new plant “ Kosova Re“, and we can assume who will be the contractor for this job.
What Serbia is doing ?
Serbia acts like a step-mother and in all that confusion they started talks in Brussels , called Serbs from Kosovo to vote in the illegal elections, sacked “disobedient ” mayors in the northern of Kosovo municipalities and literally pushed own people into something that they naturally can not accept, and no matter how much Aleksandar Vucic held his fingers connected in pose of the “pyramid ” at social events, it surely wont be helpful for Serbs in Kosovo. In this stepmother relations there is a good thing, and that is the construction of the water supply in the northern part of of Kosovo in Gazivode. The foundation stone was laid a one month ago , and the value of the investment exceeds 10 million Euros . This is one news after a long time, that made me happy , and it came from the Government of Serbia and it is related with Kosovo. I hope that this project will be completed in time, and that the water supply will be placed under the control of the Serbs here in Northern part. In order to come to a position in which Serbia is today, someone had to be wrong 100 times, and repeat that mistakes all the way around, again and again…. I think that is finally time to stop mistakes and make at least one good and important step, which is to preserve Gazivode, as they are retreat for the rest of Serbia. You can judge and I hope that I succeed to manage, from reality until the madness the point from the strategic importance of Gazivode to the Serbian people in Kosovo. I see Gazivode as a place where we can not retreat or find some compromise, this lake is surely starting point for ” what once used to be Gazimestan , today seems to be Gazivode …”
In honor of the great doctor and one of the Serbian heroes of modern times, Dr. Miodrag Lazic, who passed away yesterday after losing the battle with the coronavirus, I will post here a link where all those who have not had the opportunity before, now can read his testimony about his service, impressions and struggle for saving lives in the Serb Republic of Krajina, in Posavina during the breakthrough Operation Corridor 92 – Corridor of life, and in East Sarajevo (former Serb Sarajevo) at the Žica Hospital in Blažuj. Eternal glory to dr Lazic and thanks for everything.
Nevendjenadija's Blog 