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The Western myth of a Serbian Kosova
Bosnian Institute ^ | 29 November, 2005 | Branka Magaš

Posted on 12/02/2005 10:15:22 PM PST by Hunden

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This article, like others by the author on the same subject, rests on the official legal reasoning of the former Communist Yugoslavia and its polite fiction that its constituent federated entities had joined it of their own will.

Yet, in the absence of any other possible legal reasoning, the "international community" did rely on the existing Yugoslav Constitution (which described them as "independent and sovereign states") to recognize the independence of the former Yugoslav Republics — with the exception of Serbia and Montenegro, which "agreed" to form a Federation. This article is a useful reminder of the reasons why Kosovo, as an "Autonomous province", enjoyed the same rights as said Republics, and is now independent according to that Constitution.

This post was prompted by the discovery here of a couple of propagandists who are trying to abuse the crucial fight against Islamofascism to push a foreign agenda of anti-Muslim Fascism in the Balkans, as a reminder of the fact that public debates need not ignore the basic facts of the issues, especially as they relate to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

1 posted on 12/02/2005 10:15:22 PM PST by Hunden
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To: Hunden

Some Russian Rodine speech people have also been involved. Beyond fascism and religious identity in common, what's their interest in radical Serb efforts?


2 posted on 12/03/2005 12:28:18 AM PST by familyop ("Let us try" sounds better, don't you think? "Essayons" is so...Latin.)
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To: familyop

The search for scapegoats or hatred of others a substitute for self-esteem?


3 posted on 12/03/2005 1:07:25 AM PST by Hunden (Email)
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To: Hunden

"Kosova" is a corruption. The correct spelling is "Kosovo"


4 posted on 12/03/2005 1:11:01 AM PST by eclectic (Liberalism is a mental disorder)
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To: familyop

Civilizational solidarity, per Samuel Huntington.


5 posted on 12/03/2005 1:30:23 AM PST by GSlob
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To: Hunden
Recognising Kosova as an independent state without Serbia’s agreement would be a departure from past practice…. Kosova and Voivodina were actually established before Serbia: Kosova in January 1944, Voivodina in March 1944, Serbia only in November 1944.

The article only starts from 1944, as if the creation of these countries started from then only. It conveniently omits the fact that even Yugoslavia (means Southern Slav) was a continuation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which was established after WWI. Kosovo (and part of Macedonia) was part of the new country. Since the new country is a merge of three kingdoms (Serb, Croatia, and Slovenia), we can tell that Kosovo was considered part of the Serbian Kingdom (as Croatia and Slovenia, being both Catholics, never lay claim on it).

The Western assumption that Serbia enjoys sovereign rights over Kosova, however, is as fictitious as the Serbian myth that Kosova was the cradle of the medieval Serbian state...

Historically, since during the Crusades, Kosovo has been part of Serbian Kingdom for long time.

Culturally, Raska, or Kosovo, region was the place where King Stefan Nemanja (1167-96) reigned. He was the first to proclaim Serbian independence from the Kingdom of Bulgaria, a strong country in the region at the time, and also include Zeta, the other (and older) Serbian-ruled area. Stefan later went to Greece, entering Hilandar Monastery on Mt. Athos. Also important to remember that Stefan's son, prince Rastko Nemanjic, who in young age already decided to become a priest, later became the first Serbian Archbishop, which practically establishing an independent Serbian Orthodox Church. He later became St. Sava, whom until today is considered the Patron of Serbians. The biggest church in Belgrade, St. Sava, is after his name. For this reason, Serbians consider Kosovo the cradle of their civilization.

When the Ottoman invaded the whole region, Serbian fought hard and the biggest battle of all was in fact, in Kosovo, where they lost their prince, Lazar. One by one, the Christian areas in Balkan (at first mostly Orthodox areas) fell to Islamic Ottoman, and by the 16th century, in included Catholic areas of Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary. During this period, migration of the Muslim Albanian to Kosovo, together with conversion of some local Serbs, changed the demographic-religious structure of the region.

By 18th century, the Ottoman started to lose some areas in the region to Hapsburg Empire, including Croatia and Slovenia. In early 19th century, some Serbian rebellions led the Ottoman to grant them an autonomy status, while other parts, such as Bosnia and Kosovo, were still under Ottoman.

After the Second Balkan War, 1913, however, Serbian acquired the Kosovo area, and when the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was established in 1918, Kosovo was included. The new Kingdom gained international recognition under the Versailles Treaty (1919).

This new kingdom, however, was always troubled by internal conflicts, many times because leaders from non-Serbs parts were dissatisfied with Serb-dominated government. Before and during WWII, the conflicts were stronger as the leaders accusing each other of collaborating with the German. Tito brought them together and established communist federation, Yugoslavia, with Vojvodina and Kosovo as autonomous provinces. This part is being used by the article’s author to claim that Serbs doesn’t have any claim whatsoever of Kosovo.

So, I see this article as a piece to confuse readers with claim as if Serbs’ claim over Kosovo is totally unfounded. It's true that the issue is not easy to resolve now, as majority of Kosovo's population today are (Albanian) Muslims. But, to say Serbs’ view of Kosovo as their cradle of civilization is a myth, I think, is a myth.

6 posted on 12/03/2005 1:44:38 AM PST by paudio (Four More Years..... Let's Use Them Wisely...)
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To: Hunden

l8r


7 posted on 12/03/2005 5:09:54 AM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: Hunden; mark502inf; heybeavis; Hoplite; GSlob; ninenot; sittnick; steve50; Hegemony Cricket; ...

KosovA?

What KosovA means in Albanian? Or most of other names in Kosovo?

8 posted on 12/03/2005 5:17:02 AM PST by A. Pole (Saint Augustine: "The truth speaks from the bottom of his heart without the noise of words")
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To: Hunden

So what's your agenda? You really think Europe needs another Muslim nation? Meanwhile the Muslims wrecked Lebanon which was a semi Christian nation in the middle East. And they hanker to destroy Israel because these idiots cannot tolerate non Muslim nations in the Middle East

But Muslim stooges in the West act as midwives and promoters for more Muslim nations on European turf. Boggles the mind. Are the Bosnians also getting their own little Muslim nation. Isn't Albania a Muslim nation in Europe? The mind boggles.


9 posted on 12/03/2005 5:21:21 AM PST by dennisw (You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you - Bob Dylan)
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To: Hunden; zagor-te-nej; Lion in Winter; Honorary Serb; jb6; Incorrigible; DTA; ma bell; joan; ...

Bid a hearty welcome to our latest Soros fluffer as he spreads Islamofascist propaganda on FR.


10 posted on 12/03/2005 6:56:07 AM PST by FormerLib (Kosova: "land stolen from Serbs and given to terrorist killers in a futile attempt to appease them.")
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To: FormerLib; Hunden

Say hello to the Jihad's useful idiot
______

Lenin came up with the term "Useful Idiot." "Useful idiots" were those gullible, well-intentioned people in Western democracies who became apologists for the, shall we say, excesses of the new Soviet regime

- from the internet


11 posted on 12/03/2005 7:01:47 AM PST by dennisw (You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you - Bob Dylan)
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To: paudio
This article is just proof that Mr. Soros will spend a lot more money to secure his stolen gains in Kosovo. As a result, he has to insure that the rightful owners don't take possession of the land.

And we know all about Mr. Soros' dabbling in US politics. He's just been more successful sticking it to the Serbs than he has sticking it to us...for now, anyway.

It's a fluff piece in more ways than one.
12 posted on 12/03/2005 7:02:38 AM PST by FormerLib (Kosova: "land stolen from Serbs and given to terrorist killers in a futile attempt to appease them.")
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To: eclectic
Albright called it kosova. That's what all anti Serb factions call it. It is, of course, Kosovo.
13 posted on 12/03/2005 9:03:21 AM PST by isrul
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To: A. Pole
Kosovo is originally a Slavic (Serbian) word (Kosovo Polje = Field of Blackbirds, from kos = blackbird). That the Albanian form of the name is a little different seems to have no significance, any more than "Roma" being called "Rome" by English speakers.

The author of this piece is a Croatian woman. The Bosnian Institute acknowledges financial help from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation. If there is any connection to Soros, it isn't mentioned on their website.

14 posted on 12/03/2005 9:48:23 AM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: dennisw
When different communities do not want to live together, separation is the only civilized way to handle the situation - be it Greece/Turkey in 1922-23, or Cyprus, or West Bank/Gaza or anywhere else, like Kosovo. The boundaries, if need be, could be adjusted accordingly, so as to disrupt the smallest number of lives. Comparing Vaclav Havel ["velvet divorce" = civilized solution] with Milosevic tells one everything one would ever need to know.
15 posted on 12/03/2005 1:27:23 PM PST by GSlob
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To: Verginius Rufus
That the Albanian form of the name is a little different seems to have no significance, any more than "Roma" being called "Rome" by English speakers.

Maybe Albanian Muslims changed the last letter to "a" to make it more Albanian? Or maybe it is to honor Ali the nephew of Muhammad? How will they change names like Pristina, Mitrovica, Prizren, Gracanica, etc?

16 posted on 12/03/2005 2:25:08 PM PST by A. Pole (Saint Augustine: "The truth speaks from the bottom of his heart without the noise of words")
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To: Hunden

Give my regards to George!


17 posted on 12/03/2005 2:48:59 PM PST by F-117A
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To: Hunden

Magas is a Croatian journalist. In other wors, another Croat continuing the genocide of the Serbian people.


18 posted on 12/03/2005 3:00:07 PM PST by F-117A
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To: A. Pole
About 30% of Albanians are Christian, and many of the Muslim Albanians are probably Muslim in name only after decades of atheistic indoctrination (under the Hoxha and Tito regimes). Mother Teresa was an ethnic Albanian born in Macedonia. Some Albanians fled to Italy at the time of the Turkish conquest, and their descendants still speak Albanian...I don't think any of them are Muslims.

Modern Albanian is usually thought to be descended from the language of the ancient Illyrians in the same region...I doubt that the fact that many Albanians adopted Islam under Turkish rule affected the endings of names.

There are already Albanian versions of the names in Kosovo...Prishtina for Pristina, etc.

19 posted on 12/03/2005 3:11:29 PM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: Verginius Rufus
There are already Albanian versions of the names in Kosovo...Prishtina for Pristina, etc.

It is like saying that Waszyngton is a Polish name for Washington. Prishtina/Pristina/Prysztina is a Serbian word.

About 30% of Albanians are Christian

Few in Kosovo and I seriously doubt that Albanian Christains would be destroying monasteries and ancient churches.

20 posted on 12/03/2005 3:52:46 PM PST by A. Pole (Saint Augustine: "The truth speaks from the bottom of his heart without the noise of words")
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